Vittorio Reggianini (Italian, 1858-1939)

Born in Modena in 1858, Vittorio Reggianini trained at the local art academy along with Gaetano Bellei and Eugenio Zampighi, all under the watchful eye of his professor Antonio Simonazzi. Reggianini was later promoted to professor at the same academy and he continued to participate in shows, consistently winning praise from local connoisseurs.

In 1855, the artist moved to Florence and shortly thereafter, with the support of his dealer Pisani, he established himself on the international art scene. Both the artist's subject matter and style of painting shifted dramatically from the local historical realism that characterised his earlier work to art for new continental tastes. Like Arturo Ricci and Frédric Soulacroix, Reggianini uses the composition more as a pretext for depicting extremely elegant figures attired in 18th Century costume surrounded by utter luxury. These paintings were enormously popular with the new rich of the 19th Century, who looked to the past for images of a refinement they felt was sorely lacking in the contemporary age.