Amazingly emotional paintings by artist Gaetano Bellei

It is difficult to paint a realistic portrait of a person. But it is even more difficult to breathe life into it, conveying live emotions on canvas. The Italian artist Gaetano Bellei, who lived and worked at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, mastered this magic to perfection. In his paintings, people laugh and cry, are surprised and perplexed, angry and delighted. Incredibly, the master achieved almost photographic accuracy in depicting human feelings.

Gaetano Bellei preferred to paint portraits of old people and children. Perhaps he considered these two periods of our lives to be the most sincere. The faces of the heroes of his paintings are alive and dynamic, filled with pure and truthful emotions. Thanks to this, the plot of each canvas is immediately clear. Also, the range of feelings on the faces of the heroes gives the works a magical magnetism that literally holds the viewer's gaze.

The Italian artist is rightfully considered one of the best authors of genre paintings and portraits. But in addition to this, Bellei is known as a creator of religious works and a master of altar painting. Everything the master took on, he brought to perfection. Therefore, even his most modest works deserve attention.

Gaetano Bellei was born in 1857 in the Italian city of Modena. His family was rich and aristocratic, so the boy did not want for anything. Noticing his son’s passion for art, his parents, Lorenzo and Vena Molinari, immediately supported him. They hired the best mentors for Gaetano, who quickly gave his natural talent a facet.

Bellei received his first education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Modena, where he was considered the best student of the class. After graduating from the academy, the young artist went to Rome and entered the Academy of St. Luke. But Gaetano did not stop there. He completed his studies only after receiving diplomas from the French, Spanish and Florentine academies of painting!

The young artist received his first high recognition for his talent in 1876. At the age of 19, he won the Poletti Prize, presenting the competition painting "Francesco Francia, admiring Raphael's "Saint Cecilia" for the first time." Having become a scholarship recipient, Bellei spent the money he received on his education.

Having received a classical education, Gaetano Bellei quickly became fed up with academic painting. He began to move towards realism and German symbolism, which caused indignation in the artist's homeland of Italy. But very soon the master's works were recognized and he began to be admired again. At the end of the 19th century, Bellei's paintings were considered the best works of modern Italian art.

The Italian artist's paintings are characterized by a narrative character and frivolous themes. At the same time, they demonstrated excellent technique. And in the skill of depicting emotions, Bellei had no equal. The artist's works have a humorous slant, and their main characters are children, old people and, sometimes, young ladies.

Gaetano Bellei was one of the most famous artists of his time. His exhibitions were held all over Europe: in Turin (1898), Milan and Liege (1906), Rome (1911), as well as in many European capitals. Art galleries and famous collectors hunted for his new paintings.

In his later years, Bellei changed the subject matter of his paintings and moved on to sacred and religious subjects. He created many works for Catholic churches, including the images of the Redeemer for the parish in Zocca and Blessed Cottolengo for the Rangoni chapel in Bomporto. The artist also painted the main chapel of the church of Santa Maria di Munano in 1914, then painted "Saint Magdalene" for the church of San Domenico in his homeland in Modena.

Gaetano Bellei died in 1922 in Modena at the age of 65. His death seemed strange to many, as the artist passed away suddenly, without complaining of health problems. There were even rumors that he had been poisoned by envious people.

Another European artist who painted positive pictures of old people is Vida Gabor, who also had the magic of mood. What emotions do Belley's works evoke in you? Do you think that art can really "revive" the people depicted on the canvas?