He was born in
Terlizzi, in the province of
Bari to Giuseppe de Napoli and Maria Michele Mastrandea. Initially intending to become a lawyer, he moved to Naples at the age of 19 to pursue studies, but became attracted to art. After graduating from law in 1833, he became a pupil of
Costanzo Angelini. The painting of
Alcibiades gained him a scholarship to study in Rome. He painted in frescoes for the church of
Monteverginella (1843). He also painted frescoes on the
Martyrdom of Santa Lucia (1845), for the church of
Santa Lucia. He painted the sipario or theater curtain (1849) at the Teatro del Fondo in Naples. He painted a
Vision of Santa Maria Maddalena (1853) for the church of
Santa Maria Maddalena ai Cristallini He painted a
St Francis of Assisi with Stigmata (1853) now in Capodimonte. He painted frescoes (1853–54) for the wall of the chorus of
San Domenico Maggiore. In 1854, he painted a curtain for the teatro Piccinni of Bari; then frescoes for the
Andria Cathedral (1855) and the
Capua Cathedral (1856). In 1859, he painted a
St Benedict resurrects a peasant boy for the Benedictine church in
Catania. In 1860, he was nominated lawyer for the city, and member of the city council, and inspector of the National Museum of Naples. He was attached to the liberal party. In 1863, he married Luisa Patella, 26 years his junior; they had no children. He moved to Terlizzi for the remainder of his life. For 15 years, he was active as a politician. In 1876, he returned to paint two canvases (
Baptism of St Augustine and
Death of St. Jerome) for the
Altamura Cathedral. Many of his later works were donated to the Cathedral of Terlizzi, where they are today. He left money for his studio to be made into a museum, but this is closed due to lack of funds. ==References==