An Interlude

Federico Andreotti prints bring the playful elegance of eighteenth-century costume pictures into your home: flirtations in the park, serenades, love letters and fashionable ladies in silk and lace. Andreotti was a Florentine painter and academy professor whose Rococo Revival scenes were popular across Europe. Our collection of fine art prints includes his flirtations, musical scenes, portraits of young women and genre pictures.

About Federico Andreotti

Federico Andreotti was born in Florence on 6 March 1847. He studied with Angiolo Tricca and Stefano Ussi and at the Florentine Academy of Fine Arts, where after winning a scholarship in a competition he was later appointed a professor.

He was a prolific painter, working in Rome, Florence and other Italian cities. He painted realistic genre scenes and, above all, aristocratic scenes in the dress of the eighteenth century, a style sometimes described as Rococo Revival. Among his works are The Tavern, The Reconciliation, The Music Teacher, The Grandfather, Interrupted Dance and The Love Letter.

He also painted frescoes for the interior of the Teatro Mario Del Monaco in Treviso. His pictures were bought by collectors in Britain and elsewhere, and several are now in British public galleries. He died in Florence in 1930. His work influenced younger Florentine painters such as Vittorio Reggianini.

Style and Subjects

Andreotti's costume scenes are light-hearted and theatrical. Gallants in embroidered coats and tricorn hats court young women in silk gowns, musicians play under windows, and couples flirt in parks and wine cellars.

His painting is polished and detailed, with careful attention to fabrics, lace and furniture, and warm, rich colours. The elaborate dress and affected manners give his pictures a nostalgic, storybook charm.

Famous Works

• The Violin Teacher (1882), Glasgow Museums. A music lesson in eighteenth-century dress.
• The Music Lesson, Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery. A young woman learning music from a gallant teacher.
• The Introduction, Towneley Hall Art Gallery, Burnley. A formal meeting in an elegant interior.
• An English Beauty, Haworth Art Gallery, Accrington. A portrait of a young woman.
• Betrothed. A courting couple in period dress.
• A Lady of Fashion. An elegant young woman in eighteenth-century costume.
• The Serenade. A musician serenading a young woman.

Decorating with Andreotti Prints

Andreotti's costume scenes suit sitting rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms with soft colours and classic or French-style furniture. Flirtation scenes such as Lovers' Song look charming in ornate gilt frames.

His musical pictures are natural choices for a music room, and his portraits of young women, such as Young Beauty with a Basket of Roses, suit a dressing room or landing.

FAQ

Who was Federico Andreotti?

Federico Andreotti was an Italian painter from Florence who lived from 1847 to 1930. He is known for genre and aristocratic scenes in eighteenth-century dress.

What is Rococo Revival?

It is a term for nineteenth-century painting that looks back to the elegant dress and manners of the eighteenth century, as in Andreotti's costume scenes.

Who taught Federico Andreotti?

He studied with Angiolo Tricca and Stefano Ussi and at the Florentine Academy of Fine Arts, where he later became a professor.

Did Andreotti paint frescoes?

Yes. His frescoes decorate the interior of the Teatro Mario Del Monaco in Treviso.

Where can I see Andreotti's paintings?

Several are in British public collections, including Glasgow Museums, Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery, Towneley Hall in Burnley and the Haworth Art Gallery in Accrington.

Related Artists

• Vittorio Reggianini: Florentine painter influenced by his work
• Cesare Auguste Detti: Italian painter of costume genre scenes of the same era
• Vittorio Matteo Corcos: Florentine painter of elegant figures of the same era