Portrait of Mr Di Giovanni

The canvas portrays Alessio Di Giovanni, a famous poet and a protagonist of Sicilian cultural life in the 19th century. The Flemish artist mastered the use of pastel colours and the protagonist is depicted head and shoulders with a light-coloured suit and a tie worn casually set against a yellow ochre background. Van Biesbroeck highlights his noble facial features and carefully depicts the face, beard and moustache and, in particular, his fair eyes as they scan the horizon.