Giovanni
Boldini
1842
born 31 December 1842 in Ferrara, the eighth of thirteen children. His father, a well known painter and restorer, painted pictures of mostly religious themes.
1858
painted his first self-portrait.
1860
his early talent recognized by his hometown destined
him for a bright future.
1862
a small inheritance from a clergyman uncle enabled
him to move to Florence, where his
portraits "Le sorelle Laskaraki" and "Adelaide Banti"
quickly displayed his unmistakable personal style.
1869
accompanied Sir Walter Falconer and his family to
the Paris Universal Exhibition. During the journey through France, Boldini
painted his first important painting, "Ritratto del General Spagnolo"
in Montecarlo.
1870
Sir Cornwallis West invited the young painter to
London and offered him a studio of his own where he could dedicate himself
to his work. He received acclaim for a series of superbly executed small
portraits.
1871
after returning to Italy at the end of 1870, Boldini
moved to Paris and settled in Avenue Fronchot, where he lived with his
first parisian model, Berthe.
1872
moved to Place Pigalle, a location that inspired
him continuously.
1874
with his Paris city views and portraits he received
wide acclaim at the Salon du Camps de Mars. Among the famous who posed
for him were Henri de Rochefort, Giuseppe Verdi and a series of beautiful
society women and celebrated contemporary artists. Among them, the Countess
Gabriella de Rasty was to take a special place in his life.
1886
moved to rooms at the small hotel particulier at
41 Boulevard Berthier which his friend, John Singer Sargent, had vacated.
Here he carried out the famous portrait in pastel of Giuseppe Verdi in
top hat and white scarf, which the artist later donated to the Gallery
of Modern Art in Rome.
1889
nominated commissioner of the Italian Art Section
of the International Paris Exposition. He met the famous collector, Isac
de Camondo, one of the first to collect works of the Impressionists, to
whom he would remain attached.
1892
painted the "Autoritratto di Montorsoli" now
in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
1897
in the autumn he traveled to America to exhibit
at a New York gallery at 303 Fifth Avenue.
1900
at the Universal Exposition he exhibited a portrait
of Whistler and one of the Infanta Eulalia. During this period he also
painted several portraits of the fascinating Lina Cavalieri.
1901
painted portraits of Sem, Willy and Cléo
de Mérode. He submitted his works to the Venice Biennale.
1907
La Divina, his favorite model, married. Hurt and
jealous, he painted a series of cruel, vengeful portraits of her.
1909
the Salon recognized him as the principal portraitist
of his time for his portraits of the Marquise Casati, the Countess di
Pourtalés, Captain Lydig and wife.
1911
portrait of the Princess Bibesco. Self-portrait
of the artist sitting, today in the Boldini Museum in the Palazzo dei
Diamanti in Ferrara.
1914
the outbreak of World War I forced him to leave
Paris. He first moved to London, then Nice.
1926
interviewed by a young Italian journalist, Emilia
Cardona, for the newspaper "La Gazzetta del Popolo".
1929
married Emilia Cardona on 19 October.
1931
died on 11 January at his home, the "red house"
in Boulevard Berthier and buried in Ferrara next to his parents' grave.
On 7 May the Paris Jean Charpentier Gallery exhibited his most significant
works.