The son of a writer and art critic father and poet mother, Edoardo Dalbono attended the Royal Institute of Fine Arts in Naples in 1853, but left it shortly afterwards to join Nicola Palizzi’s studio.

In 1859 he participated in Mostra di Belle Arti at the Real Museo Borbonico winning the silver medal; he then became interested in the Scuola di Resina, and his artistic research centred on life studies of nature.

From 1878 to 1888 he lived in Paris and, with the help of his friend Giuseppe De Nittis, entered into a contract with the art dealer Goupil.

During this decade he returned to Italy several times, staying in Milan and Verona, and also continued the activity he had begun years earlier as an illustrator.

He was one of the founders of the Società Napoletana degli Artisti, and later of the Circolo Artistico, and in 1897 was appointed professor of painting at the Naples Academy.