Bernardo Celentano was a 19th century painter from Naples and an important representative of Realism. Already as a child, he attended painting lessons and, in 1850, he enrolled at the Istituto di Belle Arti in Naples. In addition to painting, Celentano studied literature. In 1851, he exhibited for the first time a history painting in the Romantic style. From 1852, he devoted himself mainly to drawing nudes. To pursue his studies, Celentano moved to Rome in 1854, spent some time in Florence in 1855 and finally settled in Rome in 1856. By the mid-1850s, Celentano's style had become much more purist and realistic. He continued to paint mainly histories, but also some portraits, and participated in numerous exhibitions until the end of his short life.