Palazzo Donn’Anna in Naples

Eduardo Dalbono, an Italian painter and museologist, was a prominent figure in the Verismo movement within painting. Born in Naples on December 10, 1841, into a family deeply immersed in the arts, Dalbono was encouraged from a young age to explore literature, music, and the rich history and folklore of Naples. His artistic education was shaped by the Neapolitan Verismo movement, notably the School of Resina, where he studied under the guidance of Giuseppe Mancinelli, Domenico Morelli, and Filippo Palizzi. Dalbono's work often featured landscapes of Naples, including views of Vesuvius, and scenes of bourgeois life, such as his notable piece 'On the Terrace,' which juxtaposes family life against the backdrop of the city's rooftops. Dalbono's career was marked by significant achievements, including his participation in the 1866 competition with 'Excommunication of King Manfredi,' which was later exhibited in Naples and Parma. His 'Legend of the Siren' (or 'Myth of Parthenope'), showcased in 1871, further cemented his reputation. A sojourn in Paris, supported by art dealer Adolphe Goupil, introduced him to a broader artistic community, though he maintained strong ties to Naples. In his later years, Dalbono contributed to the art world as a professor at the Royal Institute of Fine Arts in Naples and as the curator of the National Museum of Naples' Picture Gallery. His passion for capturing the interplay of light at dawn and his poetic, atmospheric genre scenes left a lasting legacy in Italian art. Dalbono passed away in Naples on August 23, 1915.