Giuseppe Molteni Artwork valuations, appraisals and auction estimates

Giuseppe Molteni was born on 30 March 1800 in Affori. In 1815 he enrolled at the Brera Academy following Giuseppe Longhi's drawing courses. Read the full biography

Giuseppe Molteni was born on 30 March 1800 in Affori. In 1815 he enrolled at the Brera Academy following Giuseppe Longhi's drawing courses. However, due to lack of money, he could not continue his studies, so he decided to go to Bologna and attend Giuseppe Guizzardi's school to learn the art of pictorial restoration. After returning to Milan, Molteni opened his own studio, where he achieved considerable success, so much so that he became a restoration consultant and expert on ancient paintings for the British Museum and the Louvre. Molteni loved painting and decided to also dedicate himself to portraiture, becoming much sought after by the Milanese bourgeoisie and aristocracy. His ability to represent not only the opulent bourgeoisie, but also the humility and poverty of the poorest, made him highly appreciated. It was not a question of social denunciation, but of a marked ability to paint different types of costumes. During the same years, the artist created a series of paintings inspired by Manzoni. In 1854, he was appointed curator of the Pinacoteca dell'Accademia di Brera. Molteni died in Milan on 11 January 1867.