However, Calcedonio moved to Naples in 1864 and soon found himself making copies of the classic sculptures in the Capodimonte Museum.

Soon afterwards he travelled to Florence and Rome, prolifically painting interiors and vedute of ruins and making drawings of statues and busts.

[2] In 1883 at Rome, he exhibited Per Montecarlo (For Monte Carlo, now lost); and È lui.. (And he.., also known as Accaduto nel Coretto).

His book of poetry Canti della Patria (Songs of the Fatherland) was warmly received by contemporaries such as Victor Hugo, Guerrazzi, and Tommasèo.

[3][4] The house where he lived and died in Catania has a plaque on its exterior calling him a poet in painting, and a painter in poetry - in full it reads: Calcedonio Reina / Cuore e mente d'artista / Incarno potentemente / incarnó potentemente / il pensiero geniale / nella magia dei colori e dei versi / e fu poeta nella pittura/pittore nella poesia / in questa casa ov'egli visse e morí / la patria / a perenne ricordo.