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Towards 1853, a group of Italian artists headed by Telémaco Signorini and Guiseppe Abatti meet in Florence, united by their patriotic and artistic ideals. Many of them take part in the war for Independence against Austrian domain, and align behind the ideas of Cavour and Mazzini. Influenced by the school of Barbizón and the French impressionism, they take up outdoor painting, using loose and fast brush strokes known as “macchia”.