Masters of Technique

Born in Naples, Irolli studied at the Instituto di Belle Arti under Gioacchino Toma and Federicco Maldarelli. Believing nature to be the best teacher, he interspersed his regular coursework with long excursions to the countryside, where he would paint what he saw around him in a mode not unlike that of the Impressionists. Working independently of any singular movement, he approached his craft armed with acute tendencies toward vibrant color and spontaneous brushwork, placing a heavy emphasis on the natural effects of light. His subjects were largely Neapolitan, often domestic and traditional within the scope of Italian genre painting. It was his modern approach, however-and his ability to portray quotidian scenes in what was quite literally a new light-that earned him the acclaim of critics and peers alike.

While Irolli served in the Italian military from 1880-1883, he still managed to paint and exhibit his work. He showed actively at international exhibitions beginning in the mid-1880s and continued to do so well through the 1930s; he exhibited for the last time a year before his death.