The son of a minor landscape painter, Giacinto Gigante worked as an engraver early in his career. He completed his artistic training in the Neapolitan studio of the Dutch painter Antoon Sminck Pitloo, who encouraged his students to paint 'all’aperto', or out of doors. Gigante exhibited for the first time in 1826, showing four watercolours at the annual exhibition at the Museo Borbonico. He contributed illustrations for the books Viaggio pittorico nel regno delle due Sicilie, published between 1829 and 1832, and the Esquisses pittoresques et descriptives de la ville et environs de Naples published in 1832.

Gigante was soon established as a successful landscape painter and draughtsman, with a particular emphasis for view...