Alessandro Durini

He was the sixth of eight children born to Antonio Durini, the former Podestà of Milan, and his wife Giuseppina née Casati.

During the Revolutions of 1848, despite his family's position at court, he supported the effort to free Northern Italy from the Austrian Empire.

A mere four years later, however, his ambitious historical scene, depicting Frederick Barbarossa and the Siege of Tortona, received lukewarm reviews at best, and his style was judged to be outdated.

In 1860, he was one of several artists chosen to create an album of historical watercolors, presented to Marshal Jean-Baptiste Philibert Vaillant, in recognition of the French contributions to the defeat of the Austrians.

Following the establishment of the new Kingdom of Italy, his support earned him several public offices; becoming a member of the Municipal Council in 1862.