Giulio Cesare Arrivabene

Giulio Cesare Arrivabene (1806 in Mantua – 1896 in Florence[1]) was an Italian painter, active initially in a neoclassical style, mainly painting historic and religious canvases. He also was active as a portraitist.

He trained under Luigi Sabatelli at the Brera Academy. In 1833, as a student he produced an essay titled Aman in ginocchio davanti a Ester.[2] In 1845, he participated in the decoration of the Palazzo Torlonia in Rome. He painted a Il divorzio di Enrico VIII (The Divorce of Henry VIII) for the Marchese Ala Ponzone of Milan; and a Cola di Rienzo and Italy at the foot of the Virgin (exhibited in 1850 at Turin). In 1841, he was commissioned by the Savoy Royal family a painting depicting the Reconsecration of the Hautecombe Abbey for the Castello di Racconigi.[3]

After 1853, he moved to Florence, and gained many commissions from the aristocracy. He painted a Henry IV at Canossa (Accademia Virgiliana, Mantua), Apotheosis of San Leonardo (Apse of church of San Leonardo, Mantua), and Imelda de' Lambertazzi (exhibited in 1870 at Parma).[4] Among his works are Jesus among the Doctors (church of Sant'Egidio (Mantua)), St Anthony of Padua scolds Ezzelino da Romano (1846, Sant'Andrea, Mantua).[5] The parish church of Sustinente, dedicated to San Michele Arcangelo, has a St Michael Archangel and a St Lucia and Filomena by Arrivabene.[6]