Feeding the pigeons (1888) by Ettore De Maria Bergler

Ettore De Maria Bergler (1850–1938), Italian, A master of light and atmosphere, this Sicilian painter captured the serene beauty of Mediterranean landscapes with a delicate, almost poetic touch. Though less celebrated than some contemporaries, his work reveals a refined sensitivity to color and composition, often blending realism with a subtle romanticism. Coastal scenes, sun-drenched gardens, and quiet interiors were recurring motifs, rendered with a luminous quality that evoked both tranquility and nostalgia. Trained in Naples and influenced by the *Macchiaioli* movement’s emphasis on natural light, he later developed a distinctive style—looser brushwork, softened edges—that hinted at Impressionism without fully abandoning classical precision.
His career flourished in late 19th-century Italy, where he exhibited alongside more prominent artists like Francesco Lojacono. Yet commercial success never eclipsed his introspective approach; even commissioned portraits retained an intimate, unpretentious warmth. Later, teaching at the Palermo Academy allowed him to shape a generation of Sicilian painters, though his own legacy remains somewhat overshadowed by regionalists and modernists. Today, his works—scattered across private collections and smaller Italian museums—invite rediscovery, offering glimpses of a world where sunlight and shadow dance with quiet elegance.