Modern master Raffaele Fiore knows the canals of Venice, Italy, like the back of his hand. His peaceful and serene paintings of one of the world’s best-known cities evoke a sense of home.
If you’ve been to Venice, you’ll recognize Fiore’s passion for the city. If you haven’t, his images will put you there.
Climb aboard as we ride down the canal to discover this incredible new master.
Let’s hop in!
About Raffaele Fiore
Born in 1961 in Striano, Italy, a suburb of Naples, Raffaele showed artistic promise from a young age. As with many promising artists, his parents recognized his talents and encouraged him. When he outgrew his local art teachers, his parents sent him to the selective art school at the Academy of Torino.
At art school, Fiore focused on the great Italian masters, with a particular interest in realism. And while he had living mentors at school, he focused on 19th-century art.
Taking inspiration from Favretto, Boldini, and Santoro, Fiore’s oil paintings look like Venice come to life. Not restricted to landscapes, the artist’s portraits are richly colored and stunningly detailed.
With a keen eye for color and light, Fiore captures his subjects with studied patience. He imprints his vision of the image into his work, but natural beauty always comes first. Fiore first made a splash on the art scene in the early 1980s in Turin before moving to Tuscanny in 1993.
This move signaled a change for Fiore. He began focusing on the Tuscan landscape instead of the canals of Venice.
Is Raffaele Fiore Still Alive?
Raffaele Fiore lives in Tuscany with his wife Siriana, where he continues to paint. He draws inspiration from the landscape and classic architecture of the region. His reputation for hyperrealistic and brilliantly colorful painting ensures a loyal following of collectors and gallery owners.
What Inspired Raffaele Fiore’s Art?
Fiore focuses his considerable talent on his favorite subjects: the natural world and human beauty. Inspired by the Italian masters, the artist brings sun-dappled vineyards and sparkling canals into focus. And like the masters, he continues working on his craft as a daily practice.
If you’ve seen his work, the meditative quality is no mistake. In interviews, Fiore describes painting as his “creative, beloved, personal refuge.”
What Are Some of Raffaele Fiore’s Art Pieces?
You may think that one painting of a canal is just like another, but for Fiore, this is not the case. Emotion pours from each canvas and gives it an ethereal quality that makes each unique.
Ombre Luci
Ombre Luci draws the viewer down a simple country lane. Inspired by the brilliantly green Tuscan countryside, the painter uses the contrast of light and dark to move the eye around the canvas.
A simple Tuscan farmhouse sits at the end of the lane while another nestles in the trees further up the hill. Fiore’s use of light and color are incredibly evocative of a spring day in Tuscany.
Pause to Rest
Pause to Rest is one of Fiore’s Venetian pieces. It captures a tranquil canal and gondola on a gorgeous summer day. The sky in the background is a perfect blue and reflects in the rippling water.
Along the right side of the painting is a worn brick wall, and to the left is a brightly whitewashed building. The contrast between the light and dark keeps the viewer engaged and draws their eye down the canal into Venice.
Summer Light
Summer Light brings the midday sun into stark contrast with shadows cast by Renaissance buildings along a canal. The deep green of the water shimmers with hints of the blue sky.
In the background, a sumptuous flame-orange villa rises out of the water. A lone gondolier seems to be slipping around the bend, off on some errand.
Portrait Paintings
Fiore’s portraits are studies in sensuality. In the mode of the great masters, the artist focuses on creating art that highlights human beauty.
Most of the portraits are face-on, with the subject’s eyes in the center of the canvas. Fiore distresses his images through random brushstrokes and reinterprets classical portraiture for a modern audience.
Where Can I See Raffaele Fiore’s Art?
Fiore’s art is easy to find on the Internet, with several online galleries and shops selling his paintings. Most of the online galleries we found selling his work focus on Fiore’s landscapes. Whitewall Galleries, Forest Gallery, and Artshop all have good collections of Fiore work for sale.
And while we don’t see any exhibitions of his work currently, Fiore makes regular appearances in European art competitions. If you’re building your portfolio abroad, ensure you look for his signature style.
Let Yourself Be Transported
Raffaele Fiore is a modern master. His attention to detail and focus on light, color, and shadow is unparalleled. Lovers of Italy can’t get enough of his paintings of Tuscany and Venice. If you find yourself wanting to relive your last Italian vacation, Fiore’s art will certainly transport you.
Do you have a favorite contemporary Italian painter? Tell us about them in the comments!
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