Education
Ussi studied at the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence under Enrico Pollastrini.
Ussi studied at the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence under Enrico Pollastrini.
After studying at the Academy, he enrolled volunteer in the first war of independence, during which he was taken prisoner by the Austrian troops. This painting represents the expulsion in the 14th century by the Florentines of the tyrannical ruler of Florence, Walter VI, Count of Brienne and former Duke of Athens. An allegorical fresco (after 1343) of the event had been memorialized in the Palazzo Vecchio by Orcagna, who had lived through the events.
In Ussi"s time, the medieval events took on new patriotic connotations as the Italian Kingdom was being consolidated.
Ussi is considered one of the Orientalist painters of the Ottocento. He visited Egypt in 1869 on the occasion of the opening of the Suez Canal, and returned in 1872 by invitation of the Khedive.
De Amicis was later to publish the work of the artists. The numerous drawings he made during these travels provided material for him in later years.
The Viceroy of Egypt commissioned a large canvas depicting: The Feast of the Carpet or Pilgrimage to Mecca.
In 1880, in Turin he displayed Louisiana Scorta del governatore Ben Alida ed il giovanetto suo figlio che precedono l"Ambasciata italiana. Morrocan Fantasy in honor of the Italian Embassy. And The Arab Family in the Desert.
In 1881 at Milan, he exhibited Celebration of Mohammed in Tangier, another orientalist genre painting.
He also displayed Un intermediario d"amore. Among his other works are Arab Cavalry.
Fantasia araba attorno all"Ambasciata italiana al Marocco. Festa a Fez, data dall"Imperatore del Marocco.
Araba al fonte; and Un Dervish in pompa solenne.
His painting of Donna araba al pozzo (1880) is displayed in the Museo Borgogna of Vercelli. Media related to Stefano Ussi at Wikimedia Commons.