Enrico Cavalli exhibition reopens Scuola di Belle Arti Rossetti Valentini in Val Vigezzo

A new exhibition at the Scuola di Belle Arti Rossetti Valentini in Santa Maria Maggiore, Italy, celebrates the legacy of Enrico Cavalli (1849–1919), the painter who transformed the Val Vigezzo into the "Valle dei pittori." Curated by Lorella Giudici and Elisabetta Staudacher, the show features works by Cavalli, his teachers Ravier and Monticelli, and his pupils Carlo Fornara, Giovanni Battista Ciolina, and Luigi Peretti jr. Cavalli studied in Lyon, Paris, and Marseille, absorbing colorist techniques from Monticelli—whose influence later extended to Vincent van Gogh. Returning to Italy in 1881, he taught at the school founded by Rossetti Valentini, pioneering a modern pedagogy that combined classical fundamentals with photography and exposure to avant-garde movements. The exhibition also marks the school's reopening after major renovations; it remains the only active art school in the Alps and celebrates its 145th anniversary this year. From September 16, works from recent artist residencies (Valerio Tedeschi, Marlin Dedaj, Velasco Vitali, Alessandro Gioiello, Serena Gamba) are also on view. Two outdoor itineraries dedicated to Fornara and Ciolina complement the visit.