Alejandro Ciccarelli

In 1843, he was introduced to Emperor Pedro II of Brazil, who hired him as a court painter and Master of Painting for the Empress consort, Teresa Cristina.

At the age of thirty-three, he became the leading artist in Brazil and was charged with reorganizing the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro.

Six years later, in 1849, the Chilean Consul in Brazil, Carlos Hochkolf, invited him to come to Chile and help establish an art academy there.

Despite these criticisms, most of Chile's prominent painters of the time began as his students; including Nicolás Guzmán Bustamante, Pascual Ortega, Pedro Lira, Cosme San Martín, Onofre Jarpa and Agustina Gutiérrez.

His works include an unknown, though large, number of portraits as well as religious and mythological scenes; based on Classical models.