Gaetano Fasanotti Biography
Gaetano Fasanotti (Milan 1831-1882) After having enthusiastically joined the insurrectional uprisings of 1848, he dedicated himself to his artistic interests by studying privately under the guidance of Giovanni Renica and renouncing an academic education. Initially he dedicated himself to historical subjects. However, he soon favored landscapes, with figures and animals, initially adhering to the traditional example of Canella, Inganni and Bisi, before moving on to a less objective and more romantically naturalistic description. This stylistic evolution accompanied his experiences as a teacher at the Paesaggio chair in Brera, where he had been called in 1860 to replace Zimmermann. The innovations that he introduced into teaching, together with the en plein air exercise, were a source of conflict with the Academic Council , and the painter preferred to resign and continue to dedicate himself to teaching privately. From 1861 to 1879 Fasanotti was regularly present at the Brera exhibitions and also participated in other significant exhibition events. In 1880 he was struck by serious health problems which necessarily led him to suspend all activity. Although he was unable to work for long, his signature appeared quite frequently on the Lombard market, with oil and watercolor landscapes. He practiced mainly in Lombardy, especially in Brianza, on Lake Como and its surroundings, but from 1870 he was also the author of views of Palermo, Ischia, Livorno and Veneto.
