Francesco Gonin (December 16, 1808 in

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

– September 14, 1889 in

Giaveno Giaveno is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about west of Turin. History Giaveno has very ancient origins; some local historians trace the first settlement back to Roman times ...

, near

Susa Susa ( ; Middle elx, 𒀸𒋗𒊺𒂗, translit=Šušen; Middle and Neo- elx, 𒋢𒋢𒌦, translit=Šušun; Neo-Elamite and Achaemenid elx, 𒀸𒋗𒐼𒀭, translit=Šušán; Achaemenid elx, 𒀸𒋗𒐼, translit=Šušá; fa, شوش ...

, Piedmont) was an Italian painter, engraver and

scenographer A scenographer or production designer, develops the appearance of a stage design, a TV or movie set, a gaming environment, a trade fair exhibition design or a museum experience exhibition design. The term originated in theater. A scenographer work ...

Early life

Francesco's father Giovanni was of

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

descent, and his mother Sara Castanier was

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

. He initially studied under

Giovanni Battista Biscarra Giovanni Battista Biscarra or Jean-Baptiste Biscarra (February 22, 1790 – April 13, 1851) was an Italian painter, sculptor and lithographer. He principally painted historical and religious subjects and royal portraits.Accademia Albertina The Accademia Albertina di Belle Arti ("Albertina Academy of Fine Arts") is an institution of higher education in Turin, Italy History In the first half of the seventeenth century, there was a "University of Painters, Sculptors and Architects" ...

. He later learned

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

painting from the scenic designer of the Teatro Regio at Turin, Luigi Vacca, ultimately married Vacca's daughter.

Career

He illustrated

Alessandro Manzoni Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Antonio Manzoni (, , ; 7 March 1785 – 22 May 1873) was an Italian poet, novelist and philosopher. He is famous for the novel '' The Betrothed'' (orig. it, I promessi sposi) (1827), generally ranked among the maste ...

's ''I Promessi Sposi'' ( The Betrothed). From 1840 to 1841, he collaborated with

Carlo Bellosio Carlo Bellosio (Milan, 1801 – Bellagio, 1849) was an Italian painter, active mainly in Lombardy in a Neoclassical style. Biography He trained in Milan as a pupil of Pelagio Palagi. He painted for the church of San Ambrogio in Voltri (in Gen ...

to paint the ballroom and hall at the

Royal Palace This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...

in Turin. Francesco and Bellosio

ed for the

Castello di Racconigi The Royal Castle of Racconigi is a palace and landscape park in Racconigi, province of Cuneo, Italy. It was the official residence of the Carignano line of the House of Savoy, and is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy included by ...

. In 1844, he decorated the walls and ceiling of the theatre in the city of

La Spezia La Spezia (, or , ; in the local Spezzino dialect) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second largest city ...

. In 1845, the

Carignano Carignano may refer to: Places * Carignano, Piedmont, a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy * Palazzo Carignano, a historical building in the centre of Turin, Italy * Teatro Carignano, a theatre in Turin, Italy People * Hou ...

of Turin was decorated by Francesco. He spent the next year decorating three churches in Turin: San Massimo, San Dalmazzo, and Santissima Annunziata. He painted the theaters of

Asti Asti ( , , ; pms, Ast ) is a ''comune'' of 74,348 inhabitants (1-1-2021) located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed t ...

and

Vigevano Vigevano (; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Avgevan) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Pavia, Lombardy in northern Italy. A historic art town, it is also renowned for shoemaking and is one of the main centres of Lomellina, a rice-growing ...

, the Cathedral of Alessandria, the church Della Sforzesca, and the figures at the waiting hall of the train station of Porta Nuova. He also painted many historical canvases.''Pittura e scultura in Piemonte 1842-1891: Catalogo cronografico illustrato della Esposizione Retrospettiva 1892.''
A. Stella, Stamperia Reale della ditta G.B. Paravia e Compagnia. Turin, 1893, page 67-71. Among his most notable works are: *''La Rocca di Sapay presso Viu'' (Rocci con pascolo) (1850) *''Defense of the body of Patroclos'' (1842) *''Duel of Achilles and Hector'' (1842) *''Battle of Mobaldone'' (1842) *''Surrender of the citadel to the French'' (1843) *''Mossa sulle coste della Bretagna'' (1844) *''Return in family'' (1846) *''Sack of Rome'' (1853) *''Death of Duke of Savoy Charles Emanuele II'' (1857) *''Columbus in Jail'' (1858) *''The forbidden book i daiansati'' (1859) *''Night Verse'' (1862) *''Interesting Visit'' (1867) *''The Guide'' (1867) *''Madonna'' (1879) *''

Still-life A still life (plural: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or man-made (drinking glasses, boo ...

'' (1872) *''After Meal of family'' (1873) *''Gran Telone del Teatro Reggio'' 1881

References

External links

* 1808 births 1889 deaths Artists from Turin 19th-century Italian painters 19th-century Italian male artists Italian male painters Accademia Albertina alumni {{Italy-painter-19thC-stub