Home > Artists > Fortunino Matania

Fortunino Matania RI (1881-1963)

Fortunino Matania (1881-1963)

The son of the painter and illustrator Professor Eduardo Matania, Fortunino Matania was born in Naples on 16 April 1881. Training in his father's studio, he illustrated his first book at the age of fourteen, and moved to Milan to take up the position of Special Artist for Illustrazione Italiana.

In his youth, he also worked in Paris for L'Illustration Francaise and in London for The Graphic. After a term of military service with the Bersaglieri in 1903, he settled in London and joined the staff of The Sphere. A specialist in historical and battle painting in oil and watercolour, he worked as both a Special Artist for The Sphere and as an Official War Artist during the First World War. Elected to the membership of the RI in 1917, he was awarded the Chevalier of Crown of Italy in the following year.

There are no results