Mauro in America: An Italian Artist Visits the New World

In 1816, Italian artist Mauro Gandolfi arrived in New York, eager to establish himself in America and to witness the workings of the young nation’s democratic society. Perpetually amazed and astonished by his experiences, Gandolfi kept extensive notes on the customs, people, and quirks of behavior he observed in New York and Philadelphia. His vivid account of his stay in the United States is published here for the first time, accompanied by an enlightening introduction and numerous illustrations that include examples of Gandolfi’s own work and contemporary views of the sites he describes. As an artist, Gandolfi deplores the American prohibition against studying or depicting the nude figure. As a former revolutionary in his own country, he is enraptured to discover the many manifestations of liberty, fraternity, and equality in this democratic land. Throughout his writings, the visiting European provides a fascinating and rare account of society, culture, and the art scene of the early-nineteenth-century United States.