Francesco LoJacono is a Mediterranean painter par excellence, but one of the few who knows how to give back the most subtle sensations, such as perfume, wind, heat and dust that weigh on everything.

He is a master of the sky and its reflection in the sea. And an artist whose precision will have dissuaded many aspirants to the difficult art of realistic painting.

I remember that platoon of Garibaldi's Reds engaged in the passage of a ford and my surprise to notice every pebble painted one by one...

Two personal anecdotes tie me particularly to the figure of Francesco Lojacono: when the Chantilly Museum asked me about two small paintings in their possession - it was about two minor works on the theme of herds- acquired in Sicily by the Duke of Aumale.

It is known how much I did to defend the Duke's property at Zuco, and so a beautiful relationship was born with the curator Nicole Garnier, also committed to keeping alive the memory of the Duke of Aumale.
It was about two minor works on the theme of herds.

Another time, because I was in a hotel in Agrigento owned by the Sinatra family, which is well known for its collections and in particular for an important fund Lojacono sold among others to the Gallery of Modern Art in Palermo.

• 1838 Francesco Lojacono was born in Palermo on May 16. His father Filippo will be his first teacher, before entrusting his son to Salvatore Lo Forte.
• 1856 First exhibition with which he had considerable success of esteem. After obtaining a scholarship, he moved to Naples to the school of Filippo Palizzi.
• 1860 The father Filippo and his two sons Francesco and Salvatore enlisted with Giuseppe Garibaldi's volunteers. The brothers followed the expedition to Volturno and in 1862 to Rome. Francis was taken prisoner in Aspromonte.
• 1863 Gold medal for an exhibition in Palermo.
• 1864 Mare all'Acquasanta was exhibited in Florence and was purchased by the future Prime Minister Menabrea.
• 1871 Appointed member of the Academy of Arts and Humanities of Palermo.
• 1872 Appointed Professor of Landscape at the Institute of Fine Arts in Naples.
• 1876 Exhibition in Naples.
• 1878 International Exhibition in Paris.
• 1883 Exhibition in Rome. Queen Margherita buys for the Quirinale L'arrivo inatteso (The unexpected arrival).
• 1884 Exhibition in Turin. The Prince of Trabia buys Dopo la pioggia (After the rain).The same year, he was awarded the rank of Commendatore of the crown of Italy.
• 1891 National Exhibition of Palermo. King Umberto I buys L'estate (Summer).
• 1895 He exhibited at the first Venice Biennale, and will be present at the following editions.
• 1909 Appointed Commander of the Order of Saints Mauritius and Lazarus.
• 1915 Francesco Lojacono dies in Palermo on February 25th.