PUCCINI GIACOMO: (1858-1924) Italian Composer.

A good, large signed and inscribed sepia 6.5 x 9 photograph of Puccini standing in a full length pose resting one hand in his trouser pocket and holding a cigarette in the other. Signed ('Giacomo Puccini') in bold dark fountain pen ink across a light area at the centre of the image and inscribed in Italian ('Al distintissimo artista Sr. F. Galente....') and dated Buenos Aires, 11th July 1905, in his hand. Matted in a rust colour with gold border to an overall size of 10.5 x 14.5. Some light age wear and a few minor chips, largely to the edges of the image, GFelipe Galante (1872-1953) Italian-born Argentine Painter. A friend of the Italian Tenor Enrico Caruso, Galante also gave the singer painting lessons.Puccini has been labelled the greatest composer of Italian opera after Verdi. His most famous works include La Boheme (1896), Tosca (1900) and Madama Butterfly (1904), all of which are among the important operas played as standards.