Salvatore Postiglione

Salvatore Postiglione (1861–1906), Italian, Salvatore Postiglione, born in Naples on December 20, 1861, emerged as one of the most talented Neapolitan painters during the Belle Époque. Hailing from a family deeply rooted in the arts, Postiglione was introduced to painting by his father, Luigi, a creator of religious artworks, and his uncle Raffaele, a distinguished draftsman and scholar of Raphael's works. His artistic education was further refined at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Naples under Domenico Morelli and later at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Modena, where he eventually taught. Among his notable students was Giuseppe Gabbiani. Postiglione's admiration for 17th-century painting, particularly the works of Rubens, influenced his diverse oeuvre, which included portraits, landscapes, and scenes of popular life, with a special focus on female figures. His contributions to art were not limited to canvas; he also left his mark through frescoes in the Miramare Castle in Trieste and the De Riseis Palace in Naples. Despite his untimely death on November 28, 1906, at the age of 45, Postiglione's legacy endured through his family, including his wife Giulia Calandra and their children, Luigi and Ida, the latter marrying painter Gennaro Bottiglieri. His work was posthumously celebrated, with commemorations at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Naples and exhibitions at the Venice Biennale in 1910. Postiglione's artworks, such as 'Pier Damiano e la contessa Adelaide di Savoia' and 'Ritratto della Baronessa Guevara-Suardo,' continue to be preserved in prestigious institutions like the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome and the Museo d'arte Costantino Barbella in Chieti.