Raffaele Armenise (Bari, 19 March 1852 - Milan, 14 January 1925)[1] was an Italian painter and scenographer, mainly painting history and genre subjects.

He studied painting initially in Bari under Nicolo Zito, then at the Institute of Fine Arts of Naples, where he was influenced by Domenico Morelli and Gennaro Ruo.

In 1881, he married the daughter of the painter Borsino di Milan, who owned one of the first color (oleographic) printing establishments in Italy.

[2] Among Armenise's works are: Dall' Usuraio Ebreo (The Jewish Usurer) bought by the Bank of Naples; Il Vaticano sold in Genoa; Lo scolto troppo caro; La prova del veleno; I Libertini, exhibited at the Exposition of Turin in 1880.

He worked with the sculptor Pasquale Duretti to complete the large central ceiling fresco of the theatre which depicted the allegories of Music, Dance, and Poetry, and four large medallions depicting famous composers from Puglia—Giacomo Tritto, Luigi Capotorti, Giacomo Insanguine, and Salvatore Fighera—as well as five smaller medallions with a variety of subjects.