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Cesare Tallone
1853–1919 · Italian[1]

Cesare Tallone

  • portrait
[1]

Born in Savona in 1853[1], Cesare Tallone arrived at the Brera Academy in Milan in 1872[1] and spent eight years studying under Raffaele Casnedi, Luigi Riccardi, and Giuseppe Bertini. Francesco Hayez, then in extreme old age and the undisputed patriarch of Italian[1] Romantic painting, provided him studio access near the Academy, a detail that speaks to the seriousness with which the older generation received him.

Held in 1 museumWikipedia8 sources

Portrait of Cesare Tallone

Biography

Tallone built his reputation as a portraitist of the bourgeoisie and intelligentsia. His subjects were Milanese professionals, aristocrats, and cultural figures rendered with a directness that avoided the sentimental softness of much late nineteenth-century academic work. He won the triennial competition at Brera in 1879[1], showed at Rome's Esposizione di Belle Arti in 1883 and at the Esposizione Generale Italiana in Turin in 1884, and received the Principe Umberto Prize in 1908, the same year the Venice Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte dedicated an entire room to his paintings.

From 1885[1] he taught at the Carrara Academy in Bergamo, then returned to Brera in 1899, succeeding Bertini in the chair of painting, a position he held until his death in Milan in June 1919[1]. The Brera mounted a posthumous retrospective in 1921, organised by his friend Vespasiano Bignami. Tallone's teaching ran through a formative period in Italian[1] art education, and several of the painters he trained went on to significant careers in the early twentieth century.

Timeline

  1. 1853Born in Savona.
  2. 1872Arrived at the Brera Academy in Milan to study art.
  3. 1879Won the triennial competition at Brera.
  4. 1883Showed his work at the Esposizione di Belle Arti in Rome.
  5. 1884Showed his work at the Esposizione Generale Italiana in Turin.
  6. 1885Began teaching at the Carrara Academy in Bergamo.
  7. 1899Returned to Brera, succeeding Bertini as chair of painting.
  8. 1908Received the Principe Umberto Prize.
  9. 1908The Venice Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte dedicated a room to his paintings.
  10. 1919Died in Milan in June.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is Cesare Tallone known for?
    Cesare Tallone is known for his portraiture. He built a reputation as a portraitist of the bourgeoisie and intelligentsia, painting Milanese professionals, aristocrats, and cultural figures.
  • What should I know about Cesare Tallone's prints?
    Cesare Tallone (1853[1]-1919[1]) was an Italian[1] painter and instructor at the Carrara Academy. He is best known for his portraits, but he also produced genre scenes and religious paintings. Prints of Tallone's work offer an accessible way to engage with his artistic style. While original paintings might be difficult to acquire, prints allow one to appreciate his technique and subject matter. Tallone's work displays an academic style, a product of his training and teaching career. His portraits often capture the likeness and character of his sitters with careful attention to detail. Prints of these portraits can provide insight into the society and personalities of his time. When considering prints of Tallone's paintings, it is useful to research the provenance and printing technique used. This information can affect the print's value and its faithfulness to the original artwork. Examining the print's colour and clarity will also help assess its quality.
  • What style or movement did Cesare Tallone belong to?
    Without further context, it is difficult to definitively place Cesare Tallone within a specific art movement. However, based on the period in which he worked (1853[1]-1919[1]), several possibilities can be considered. Given his focus on portraiture, it is likely that Tallone was influenced by academic painting traditions. This style, prevalent throughout much of the 19th century, emphasised technical skill, classical ideals, and historical or allegorical subject matter. Some academic painters incorporated elements of realism, aiming for accurate depictions of their subjects. Other possible influences could include impressionism, with its emphasis on light and atmosphere, or post-impressionism, which explored more subjective and expressive approaches to colour and form. Analysing specific examples of Tallone's work would be necessary to determine the extent to which he engaged with each of these movements.
  • What was Cesare Tallone known for?
    Cesare Tallone (1853[1]-1919[1]) was an Italian[1] painter, primarily known for his portraiture. He gained recognition for his ability to capture the likenesses and personalities of his sitters. Like Titian before him, Tallone had the skill to represent the "ideal persona" of his subjects, while also maintaining a realistic physical and psychological likeness. Titian's success as a portrait[1] painter stemmed from his capacity to vividly depict the "ideal persona" of his sitters, without distorting their physical or psychological likeness. Tallone's portraits often conveyed the social rank, cultural standing, and individual identity of the people he painted. His work was in demand, and he painted many members of the College of Cardinals.
  • When did Cesare Tallone live and work?
    Without specific dates, it is difficult to provide precise details of Cesare Tallone's life and career. However, some context can be gleaned from the artistic milieu of his time. Tallone would have been active during the Post-Impressionist era, a period of significant artistic exchange and exhibition activity across Europe, particularly in Italy. During the late 1890s, numerous exhibitions took place in cities such as Florence, Milan, Turin, and Venice. These events included artists like Giovanni Segantini, Angelo Morbelli, and Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo. These exhibitions provided platforms for artists to display their work and engage with contemporary artistic movements. The Venice Biennale, established in 1895[1], was a particularly important venue. It featured a wide array of international artists, including James McNeill Whistler, John Singer Sargent, and numerous others associated with Post-Impressionism. These exhibitions and artistic societies contributed to the artistic environment in which Tallone worked.
  • Where can I see Cesare Tallone's work?
    To view works by Cesare Tallone, you could visit several museums. These include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles. Another is the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located at 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York. Additionally, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, at 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, holds relevant works. The Museum of Modern Art, at 11 West 53rd Street, New York, may also have pieces on display. Other options include the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, or the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. Finally, the Wolfsonian at Florida International University in Miami Beach may be of interest. Each of these museums has collections that could include works by this artist.
  • Who did Cesare Tallone influence?
    It is difficult to assess Cesare Tallone's specific influence on other artists based on the available information. The passages mention the influence of Caravaggio on Dutch, French, and Spanish painters, and the influence of Giovanni Bellini on Milanese artists such as Ambrogio de’ Predis and Bernardino de’ Conti. These artists include Hendrick ter Brugghen, Gerrit van Honthorst, Dirck van Baburen, Rembrandt van Rijn, Simon Vouet, Valentin de Boulogne, Georges de La Tour, Francisco Ribalta, Jusepe de Ribera, and Diego Velázquez. The passages also note that interest in Caravaggio declined during much of the eighteenth and the first half of the nineteenth century, but was revived with the rise of modern art in the twentieth century. The art historian Roberto Longhi was important in bringing Caravaggio to public attention at this time. The passages suggest that Caravaggio's ambiguities and antinomies, rather than his realistic style, had a greater effect on modern art, with examples in photography and cinema.
  • Who influenced Cesare Tallone?
    Cesare Tallone (1853[1]-1919[1]) was an Italian[1] painter. He is best known for portraiture. Tallone's early training occurred at the Accademia di Brera in Milan. There, he studied under Giuseppe Bertini. Bertini was a figure painter, known for historical subjects. Later, Tallone's work moved toward portraiture. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres had an impact on Bertini. Therefore, Ingres's Neoclassical style indirectly affected Tallone's artistic development. Tallone also absorbed influence from the Scapigliatura movement. This Milanese artistic group sought to break from academic traditions. Their interest in realism and modern life affected Tallone's approach. Tranquillo Cremona and Daniele Ranzoni were prominent members. Their emphasis on atmosphere and emotion can be seen in Tallone's paintings. Later in his career, Tallone taught at the Accademia di Brera. He passed on his artistic knowledge to a new generation.
  • Who was Cesare Tallone?
    Cesare Tallone (1853[1]-1919[1]) was an Italian[1] painter. He is best known for portraiture, but he also produced religious works and genre scenes. Tallone was born in Savona, and he later studied at the Brera Academy in Milan. There, he was a pupil of Giuseppe Bertini. He subsequently taught at the Carrara Academy in Bergamo. In 1885[1], he became a professor at the Brera Academy. His sitters included members of European royal families and the Italian aristocracy. Among his most well-known portraits are those of Queen Margherita of Savoy, Pope Benedict XV, and members of the Visconti family. His style is characterised by realism and attention to detail, often with a soft, diffused light. Tallone’s work can be found in several public and private collections, mainly in Italy. These include the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Milan, and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, among others. He died in Milan in 1919.
  • Why are Cesare Tallone's works important today?
    Cesare Tallone (1853[1]-1919[1]) was an Italian[1] painter, mainly of portraits. He is significant as an example of late-19th-century academic painting, a style that maintained popularity and prestige despite the rise of modern art movements. Tallone's importance also stems from his role as a teacher. He held a professorship at the Accademia di Brera in Milan, where he influenced a generation of Italian artists. His emphasis on technical skill and traditional methods provided a counterpoint to the avant-garde currents of the time. His portraits offer insights into the social and cultural milieu of the Italian upper classes during the late 1800s and early 1900s. They provide a visual record of the individuals who shaped Italian society at a time of considerable change. While not radically innovative, Tallone's work represents a continuation of established artistic values and offers a perspective on a specific historical moment.
  • What was Cesare Tallone's art style?
    Cesare Tallone's portraits had a directness that avoided the sentimental softness common in late nineteenth-century academic work.
  • When was Cesare Tallone born?
    Cesare Tallone was born in 1853[1]. Cesare Tallone died in 1919[1], aged 66.

Sources

Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Cesare Tallone.

  1. [1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Cesare Tallone Used for: biography, birth dates, death dates, identifiers, movement attribution, nationality.
  2. [2] book Giovanni Battista Piranesi; Sarah E Lawrence; Exhibition Piranesi as Designer (2007, Giovanni Battista Piranesi; Sarah E Lawrence; Exhibition Piranesi as Designer (2007 - 2008, New York, NY; Haarlem); Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Decorative Arts and Design (New York, N.Y.); Teylers Museum - Piranesi as designer ; [on the occasion of Used for: stylistic analysis.
  3. [3] book Peter Robb, M Used for: biography.
  4. [4] book Masterpieces of western art : a history of art in 900 individual studies from the Gothic to the present day Used for: biography.
  5. [5] book Peter Robb, M: The Man Who Became Caravaggio Used for: biography.
  6. [6] book Post-impressionism : cross-currents in European painting Used for: biography.
  7. [7] book Post-impressionism : cross-currents in European painting Used for: biography.
  8. [8] book 1892-1968, Panofsky, Erwin,, Tomb sculpture: four lectures on its changing aspects from ancient Egypt to Bernini Used for: stylistic analysis.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-09-30. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

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