Luigi Gioli (Italian, 1854 - 1947)

Luigi Gioli, brother of Francesco Gioli and fellow member of the Macchiaioli group, was known for his beautiful representation of animals,

Luigi Gioli was Francesco Gioli's younger brother, and for a long time, was considered as being mediocre by comparison.  However, he is today acknowledged as being a cultured and coherent artist, even though he came to art rather late in life after studying law. He had no formal art training.

He lived with his brother and was influenced by him stylistically in his early landscape studies. Associated with the Post-Macchiaioli movement but painted in the Italian naturalistic tradition of the Macchiaioli, focusing on the Tuscan countryside. He took part in lively art debates with friends and colleagues and was interested in the painting of the Macchiaioli, which reflected in his preference for military scenes and views of the Maremma.

Just as the worker was raised up as an icon of nationalism and pride in oxen that populated the hillsides; the Maremma became another symbol of pride and was adopted by the Macchiaioli artists as a perfect setting for many of their paintings. The Maremma is a vast, marshy area of Tuscany that had long been a breeding ground for cattle, and Gioli paints it in a panoramic glory.

He painted many seascapes, but also was inspired by the work of Edgar Degas after being exposed to his art during a trip to Paris in 1878.
In 1889 he took part in the Paris Universal Exhibition and was awarded a prize later in the year.  From that time on he regularly took part in the most important Italian exhibitions and, in particular, in those of the "Società di Belle Arti di Firenze."

The success of Gioli's prolific output has made him a point of reference for two successive generations of Post-Macchiaioli artists. He died in 1947 in Florence.