Early Life and Artistic Formation in Rome Mariano de Franceschi’s journey as an artist began in the very heart of Italy's artistic heritage: Rome. Born in 1849, he came of age during a period of significant political and social transformation in Italy, culminating in the Risorgimento and the unification of the country, with Rome becoming its capital in 1871. This environment of national reawakening undoubtedly had an impact on the cultural and artistic life of the city. De Franceschi pursued his formal artistic training at the Accademia di San Luca in Rome. Founded in 1593, the Accademia wa…