Ferrara, December 31, 1842 – Paris, January 11, 1931
He was born in Ferrara to a painter father in a large family.
In 1862 he moved to Florence, enrolling in the Academy of Fine Arts, joining some artists and intellectuals under the name of “Macchiaioli”, a nickname given by the press in a derogatory sense but gladly accepted by the group.
He remained in Florence until 1871, although he traveled extensively in Italy (Naples, Pistoia, Castiglioncello and Livorno) and abroad (Paris, Switzerland, the French Riviera), creating many commissioned portraits.
After a stay in London, in 1871 he moved permanently to Paris, continuing however to travel and to produce numerous portraits of noblewomen, multiplying the official awards (Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1919, Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy) .
He was invited several times to the Venice Biennale and in 1895 he was a member of the patronage committee. In 1917 he almost completely lost his sight and with Europe entering the First World War Boldini moved to London then to Nice and finally returned to Paris in 1918.
He died on 11 January 1931 in Paris and, as per testamentary dispositions, was buried in the monumental cemetery of the Certosa di Ferrara.
