Costantino Barbella Artwork valuations, appraisals and auction estimates

Costantino Barbella, born in Chieti on January 31, 1852, was an Italian sculptor known for his works in terracotta and bronze. He began by modeling figurines for nativity scenes, but was encouraged by Francesco Paolo Michetti to pursue an artistic career. Read the full biography

Costantino Barbella Biography

Costantino Barbella, born in Chieti on January 31, 1852, was an Italian sculptor known for his works in terracotta and bronze. He began by modeling figurines for nativity scenes, but was encouraged by Francesco Paolo Michetti to pursue an artistic career. He attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Naples and became famous both in Italy and abroad for his depictions of peasant scenes and local Abruzzese customs. In 1875, one of his sculptures was purchased by Vittorio Emanuele II. He participated in the Universal Exhibition in Antwerp in 1894 and the III International Art Exhibition in Venice in 1899. Barbella was friends with other Abruzzese artists, such as Francesco Paolo Tosti, Gabriele D'Annunzio, and Francesco Paolo Michetti. He died almost blind in Rome in 1925. The Civic Museum of Chieti bears his name in his honor.