I PITTORI MACCHIAIOLI – GLI IMPRESSIONISTI ITALIANI – LA SCUOLA DI CASTIGLIONCELLO MACCHIAIOLI PAINTERS – THE ITALIAN IMPRESSIONIST - THE CASTIGLIONCELLO’S I Macchiaioli The Macchiaioli were a group of Italian painters active in Tuscany in the second half of the nineteenth century, who, breaking with the antiquated conventions taught by the Italian academies of art, did much of their painting outdoors in order to capture natural light, shade, and colour. This practice relates the Macchiaioli to the French Impressionists who came to prominence a few years later, although the Macchiaioli pursued somewhat different The most notable artists of this movement were Giuseppe Abbati, Cristiano Banti, Odoardo Borrani, Vincenzo Cabianca,Adriano Cecioni, Vito D'Ancona, Serafino De Tivoli, Giovanni Fattori, Raffaello Sernesi, Silvestro Lega, Diego Martelli and Telemaco Signorini . They believed that areas of light and shadow, or "macchie" (literally patches or spots) were the chief components of a work of art. The word macchia was commonly used by Italian artists and critics in the nineteenth century to describe the sparkling quality of a drawing or painting, whether due to a sketchy and spontaneous execution or to the harmonious breadth of its overall effect. Diego Martelli a • Diego Martelli Castiglioncello, Giovanni Fattori • • Diego Martelli (Firenze, 29 ottobre 1839 – Firenze, 20 novembre 1896) è stato un critico d'arte italiano. Fu uno tra i primi sostenitori in Italia dell'Impressionismo f rancese, inoltre sostenne e unì i Macchiaioli ospitandoli nella sua tenuta di Castiglioncello Diego Martelli (Florence, October 29, 1839 - Florence, November 20, 1896) was an Italian art critic. He was one of the first supporters of French in Italy, also supported and joined the Macchiaoli hosting them on his estate diCastiglioncello Molti Ritratti: Diego Martelli Giovanni Fattori (Livorno, settembre 1825 – Firenze, 3 agosto1908) è stato un pittore e incisore italiano. È considerato, insieme a Silvestro Lega e aTelemaco Signorini, tra i maggiori esponenti del movimento dei macchiaioli. Gran parte della sua produzione pittorica nota è posteriore ai suoi quaranta anni. Giovanni Fattori (Leghorn 1825-Florence, September, August 3, 1908) was an Italian painter and engraver. He is considered, together with Signorini ,Silvestro Lega and Telemaco Signorini, one of the leading exponents of the macchiaioli movement. Most of his pictorial production is back to his forty years. • Ritratto • Ritratto a Silvestro Lega Silvestro Lega (8 December 1826 - 21 September 1895) was an Italian realist painter. He was one of the leading artists of the Macchiaioli and was also involved with the Mazzini movement.