Silvestro Lega's Dying Mazzini Painting by Paul Meijering

Realistic painting created by artist Paul Meijering of The Dying Mazzini by Italian painter Silvestro Lega - the original painting is 90 x 120 cm

Silvestro Lega (Modigliana, 8 December 1826 - Florence, 21 September 1895) was an Italian painter. He is considered to belong to Realism, with clear influences from Impressionism.

Born into a wealthy family, Lega attended the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence in 1843. A short time later, he was apprenticed to Luigi Mussini, an admirer of Ingres and the Italian Renaissance painters of the 15th century. In 1848-1849, he served as a volunteer in Garibaldi's freedom army. He then studied for some time at the Scuola del Nudo in Florence under Antonio Ciseri. In 1852, he won the 'Concorso Trienniale dell'Accademia' with his painting David plays for Saul.

His style of work was initially strongly realistic, painting the lunettes of Mondigliani's Madonna del Cantone church from 1857 to 1863. He then founded the 'School of Piagentina' in Florence with Telemaco Signorini, Giuseppe Abbati and Odoardo Borrani. In the 1870s, his style came under strong influence from the French Impressionists.

Lega died of stomach cancer in Florence in 1895, aged 68.

This artwork is offered by Paul Meijering

For almost 33 years now, Paul Meijering has been active with the paint brushes. As a 17- year old inspired youngster he joined the Academy of Arts in Enschede (Holland) in order to receive a native training in drawing- and painting technique.

At that time (1980) the tendency of the abstract was running riot, and to his dismay and disappointment Paul found that the trade of the ancient masters was merely 'old hat', the realistic art being disregarded and looked down upon. After two years of useless botchery, there was only one conclusion to draw: 'get autodidact, be a self-taught person!' Paul then left the academy to work for a living, but at the back of his mind there always loomed the passion of his life: to paint. At his spare time he painted and his efforts are characteristic as far as man plays an important role are concerned, or to put it in his own words: 'Each human being tinkers at his own existence, it is the source of inspiration to explain the non-verbal by way of painting'.

The paintings attracted attention at various exhibitions and he was frequently approached by trades-people, hotel-keepers, merchants. These customers were for the most part interested in large wall-paintings and decorations. In the year 2000 the painter develops a speciality that's quite unique: he applies himself to paint football pictures. After a year he gets the chance to realize an open exhibition for an indefinite time as well with the Dutch Football Union 'KNVB' in Zeist as in

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