Gaetano Forte (Salerno, December 12, 1790 – Naples, September 27, 1871) initially trained as an architect before pursuing a career as a painter. His work has a strong Neoclassical influence and Forte has been praised for his ability to portray the psychology of an individual.
After receiving his initial training in Salerno from the painter V. Finicelli, he moved to Naples; there, he first pursued legal studies before enrolling in the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples in 1806. He specialized in portraiture under the French painter Jean-Baptiste Wicar, demonstrating full artistic maturity between 1809 and 1828—the year he returned to Salerno to open a private painting school.
In 1840, having returned to Naples, he was appointed honorary professor at the Academy and participated in the Bourbon biennial exhibitions. His canvases covered a wide range of subjects, including portraiture, still lifes, historical scenes, and mythological works.