This dramatic painting by the Belgian artist Eugène-François de Block (1812-1893) depicts the Italian nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), a key figure in the Italian Risorgimento. Garibaldi played a crucial role in the unification of Italy in the nineteenth century, which was previously divided into autonomous regions and partially under foreign rule. His tireless military campaigns and zealous patriotism saw him active in nationalistic activity across the continents of Europe and South America, earning him the sobriquet of ‘Hero of the Two Worlds’. His domestic and international fame was considerable even during his lifetime, becoming a romantic figurehead for Italian nationalists, whose daring military escapades and guerilla-warfare approach inspired his fellow countrymen to fight for a united Italy.

Garibaldi’s fame was partly due to his popularity among writers and artists of the era, who allowed his reputation and news of his patriotic deeds to become widespread. This painting is representative of this trend; it was commissioned in the late 1860s by members of the liberal Belgian society La Libre pensée, who wished to have a portrait of the Italian hero as a sign of their support of the ‘Roman question’. This conundrum was the final hurdle to achieving the full unification of Italy; the Kingdom of Italy had been declared under Victor Emmanuel II in 1961, but at the end of the decade, Rome and the Papal States still remained under the Pope’s control. Garibaldi was tireless in his attempts to reunite these territories with the Kingdom of Italy, and this painting expresses the Belgians’ support of his mission.

There are several visual indications in the portrait that emphasise the message of this painting; firstly, the inscription in the top-right of the canvas is an anti-papal slogan, reading: ‘Without priests, a fraternity of the people will be possible. With the priests, never!’ (‘Sans prêtres la fraternité des peuples sera possible. Avec les prêtres, jamais!’). Moreover, the small silhouette behind Garibaldi’s right arm shows the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, underlining his determination to bring Rome into the Kingdom of Italy. Additionally, the patriot is depicted wearing his characteristic blouse, underlining his connection with the nationalist group called the Redshirts, volunteers who followed and supported Garibaldi during his campaigns for independence in South America as well as across the Italian peninsula.

This painting was made in 1868, while Garibaldi was staying at his home on the island of Caprera off the Sardinian coast. An unsuccessful attempt to gain control of Rome the previous year had forced French armed forces to intervene in defence of the papacy, and Garibaldi had withdrawn to the island. For the creation of this portrait, the artist Eugène-François de Block spent two months alongside Garibaldi on Caprera. This portrait thus pays homage to a patriot in a sort of political exile, biding his time to realise his greatest ambition: the unification of Italy.

Block presents Garibaldi as an inspiring leader, his strong stance and imposing stature evoking his military and political successes from several decades. His illuminated figure acts as a beacon of light against a dark background, suggesting his position as a symbol of hope, a guiding light in the long struggle of Risorgimento. With his hand resting on his sword, Garibaldi appears ready to fight for his patriotic cause, willing to endanger his own life for his nationalist ideals. Despite his advanced years, he appears determined and resilient – exactly the image of strength that Block and his Belgian patrons sought to promote.

The history of the painting itself is particularly interesting; just before executing the present portrait, Block had made a portrait of another figurehead of the Italian Risorgimento, Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872), in London. These two works were exhibited together in Brussels and Ghent and received widespread acclamation from the public and critics alike. This testifies to the level of nationalist feeling in Belgian society, and the popular support for the patriotic cause in Italy. This portrait thus encapsulates a remarkable moment of political momentum and is a symbol of the nationalism that swept across Europe and beyond in the nineteenth-century, with republicans and patriots uniting across borders in order to show support for nationalist causes and liberal ideals.