Giuseppe de Nittis was an Italian painter, pastellist and printmaker. After studying in at the School of Beaux Arts and then in Florence, Italy, in 1874, he along with Giovanni Boldini, and Federico Zandomeneghi went to Paris. They were all just under 30 years of age and already had considerable artistic experience. All three profited from the lessons they were taught in Italy, Tuscan painting.

Around the new Parisian concept of color-light, Giuseppe de Nittis was committed to a plein-air aesthetic way of painting and was particularly interested in rendering varying degrees of light effects. It was this concern that brought him into contact with the Impressionists at the Café Guerbois.

Two of the most influential in the group were Jean-Baptiste Corot and Edouard Manet. The outcome of meeting with the Impressionists was a transitional new style of luminosity impressionism and the robust formal solidity of still classicist formation.

Giueseppe was also acquainted with members of the Macchiaioli, for whom his work was very influential.

Nittis moved into a house with a studio, married Leontine Gruville, in 1869. Giuseppe and his beautiful sife entertained at home, inviting some of the most influential writers, artists and intellectuals of the day. He also entertained Italian painters visiting Paris such as Fattori, Signorini, Mancini and the tireless art critic Diego Martelli. He showed them there were opportunities to meet people and that they were not lacking nor sought after.

In addition to his oil paintings, Giuseppe also experimented with printmaking and innovative use of pastels. He practiced a restrained form of Impressionism. This style brought him great success in his lifetime, both nationally and internationally.

Giuseppe de Nittis died an untimely sudden death at the young age of 38 while living in Paris.