Giovanni Fattori

Giovanni Fattori (Livorno 1825 – Firenze 1908). The most representative artist of the Macchiaioli movement. He meets them in 1852 at Caffé Michelangelo in Firenze. The main themes of his art are his loved Tuscany country and wars of the Risorgimento during which he is a soldier convinced that to fight is the only one way to reach the union of Italy and a democratic renovation of the nation. The protagonists of rural subjects are peasents and big oxes, on the contrary wars paintings are animated by little retired soldier. The aim is to provide the reality without to be rhetorical as historic paintings are. The first and the most famous work dedicated to the wars of the Risorgimento is "Campo Italiano alla Battaglia di Magenta" (Italian field at Magenta war) painted in 1862. In this masterpiece the army is represented at the end of the conflict. Year after year Fattori's style is more and more influenced by Macchiaioli: blots of colours and light are juxtaposed on canvas. Faces lose details and the results is intentionally approximate. Fattori gives up also the outline, he focuses on the mean and the contents of his work and on the visual effects of colours and shapes realising realistic paintings.