Giuseppe De Sanctis was born 21 June 1858 in Naples. His interest in art was readily encouraged by his parents – Giuseppe Verdi was his godfather – and in the early 1870s, he was sent to study with Domenico Morelli, then director of painting at the Accademia delle Belle Arti. Under Morelli’s guidance, De Sanctis developed a painting style that relied on verismo, but with an added interest in historical events and exotic locales, though he is perhaps best remembered for his portraits of women and urban scenes.
Reference: Leone Rossella, «De Sanctis, Giuseppe». In: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, vol. XXXIX, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, 1991
Giovane donna, oil on canvas
La corteggiana, 1898, oil on canvas, Museu Mariano Procópio, Brazil
Scorcio di Parigi, oil on canvas