Giuseppe De Fabris Italian, 1790-1860

Giuseppe De Fabris (Nove, Italy 1790 – Rome, Italy 1860)

Born in Nova in 1790. His father, director of the Antonibon Porcelain factory, soon noticed his son's artistic talent. In 1806, the family moved to Vicenza, where Giuseppe studied at the studio of Ciesa. Two years later, they moved to Milan, where he attended the Brera Academy. Here he furthered his anatomical studies and earned the protection of Count Mellerio, one of his main clients.

In 1810, he worked on the construction site of the Milan Cathedral, for which he created a sculpture of Napoleon.

In 1814, thanks to a letter of introduction from Mellerio, he moved to Rome, where he met Canova.

In 1815, his sculpture Neptune won the Anonymous Award, established by Canova to support young artists. Two years later, for Count Mellerio, he completed marble sculptures of Hector and Andromache.

He produced two busts for the Pantheon, which were moved to the Protomoteca in the Capitoline Hill; in 1823, he created a commemorative bust of Canova commissioned by Leo XII. In 1828, he designed a monument, with the same dedication, for the Capitoline Hill.

In 1823, still in Rome, he became a member of the Congregation of the Virtuous at the Pantheon; he was praised for bringing to light the mortal remains of Raffaello Sanzio, earning him the position of perpetual Regent.

After many ecclesiastical and aristocratic commissions, he continued to work in Rome and Venice.

In his final years, he received various awards and institutional positions.

He died in Rome in 1860, as General Director of the Pontifical Museums and Galleries.

Photo UniCredit Group (Sebastiano Pellion di Persano)