Rive, Roberto - No. 546. Ercole Farnese. Museo di Napoli

Rive was born in Genoa, Italy in 1838. He began his career as a painter, but later turned to photography. He opened a studio in Genoa in 1860 and quickly gained a reputation for his high quality portraits. Rive's portraits were characterised by their attention to detail and composition. He often used dramatic lighting and posed his subjects to emphasise their status and importance. His photographs were highly sought after by the upper echelons of Italian society. In addition to portraiture, Rive also photographed landscapes and cityscapes. His images of Genoa and other Italian cities are notable for their clarity and depth of field. Rive continued to work as a photographer until his death in 1895. His legacy as one of the most important Italian photographers of the 19th century lives on through his work, which is still admired and studied by photographers and art historians today.