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Michele Gordigiani was born in Florence (1835). His father was a well-known Florentine musician. He was interested in art from an early age. He studied at the Academy in Florence under Giuseppe Bezzuoli. He also studied under Luigi Norcini and Silvestro Lega. He worked in the studios of Luigi Mussini and Adolph Sturler. He and his brother Anatolio socilaized in the Caffè Michelangiolo (1855). It was here they came in contact with the Macchiaioli painters, an Itlaian art movement rejcting rigid academic convntions, somewhat similar to the French imppresioinists. His work deviated from the Macchiaiolists. He attempted costume genre work, but these paintings were not well received. He set up a studio in Florence. His portaits attracted attention. He painted Elizebeth Browning while she was in Florence. (He would also paint Robert, but four decades later.) A friend, Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione invited him to Paris (1860). He quickly developed a substantial reputation. Gordigiani became the premier portraitist of the Italian Risorgimento--Italian unification. He painted several important portraits, includiung King Vittorio Emanuele II, his daughter-in-law Queen Margherita, and the Count Cavour. This was at the time that Victor Emanauel and Cavour had suceeded in uniting Italy. In London he painted portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert just before Albert's death. Another important English work was Robert Browning. While in London, he participated at the exhibition of the Royal Society of Arts. One of the best was a portrait of Cornelia Ward Hall, wife of businessman John H. Hall, with their four children, we think probably painted in America (1880). The parlor decor reflects the popular Asian artistic influnce of the era. We have been unable to find information on the Hall family, except that they lived in New York. Gordigiani in his career he submitted works to the Florentine Exhibition of Art and Flowers and at the Second Venice Biennale. He died in Florence (1909).
Michele Gordigiani was born in Florence (1835). His father was a well-known Florentine musician. He was interested in art from an early age. He studied at the Academy in Florence under Giuseppe Bezzuoli. He also studied under Luigi Norcini and Silvestro Lega. He worked in the studios of Luigi Mussini and Adolph Sturler. He and his brother Anatolio socilaized in the Caffè Michelangiolo (1855). It was here they came in contact with the Macchiaioli painters, an Itlaian art movement rejcting rigid academic convntions, somewhat similar to the French imppresioinists. His work deviated from the Macchiaiolists. He attempted costume genre work, but these paintings were not well received. He set up a studio in Florence. His portaits attracted attention. He painted Elizebeth Browning while she was in Florence. (He would also paint Robert, but four decades later.) A friend, Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione invited him to Paris (1860). He quickly developed a substantial reputation. Gordigiani became the premier portraitist of the Italian Risorgimento--Italian unification. He painted several important portraits, includiung King Vittorio Emanuele II, his daughter-in-law Queen Margherita, and the Count Cavour. This was at the time that Victor Emanauel and Cavour had suceeded in uniting Italy. In London he painted portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert just before Albert's death. Another important English work was Robert Browning. While in London, he participated at the exhibition of the Royal Society of Arts. Gordigiani late in his career he submitted works to the Florentine Exhibition of Art and Flowers and at the Second Venice Biennale. He died in Florence (1909).
One of Gordigiani best eworks, surely his most sumoptuous is a portrait of Cornelia Ward Hall, wife of businessman John H. Hall, with their four children, John Hudson Hall (1872 - 1935), Charles Ward Hall (1874 - 1936), Cornelia Katherine Hall (1876 - ?), and Martha Jane Hall (1878 - ?). We believe the portrait was painted in America (1880). The parlor decor reflects the popular Asian artistic influnce of the era. We have been unable to find information on the Hall family, except that they lived in New York. It was painted in an era that vast fortunes were being made in America as the formation of a huge industrial nation was underway which created unprecented prosperity. Americans were the best paid and most affluent popilation in the world. Which is why so many Europeans emigrated to America. Wealthy Americans had the money to engage talnted European artists. This is one example. The boys are wering velvet suits (one black the other burgandy) with different collars. One boy has an Eton collar the other a lace collar. The girls are wearing fancy white dresses with different collars. One has blue trim and sash. The other with pink trim and sash. While we have been unable to find much information on the family, their portrait is commonly used as an illustration of Gilded Age. American text books depict the Gilded Age as an era of oppulence and privilege. It was. It was also the era in which American developed a huge industrial sector, more advnced than that of ny industrial nation. And as aesult of that and a productive agricultural, American workers were the most prosperous in the world.
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