Silvestro Pistolesi was born in Florence in 1943 and from a very early age demonstrated his artistic inclination, attending first the Graphic Art section of the Institute of Fine Arts at Porta Romana, and later the School of Publicity of the “Leonetto Capiello” Institute. His apprenticeship began with the frequenting of the studio of the painter Nerina Simi. At the same time, he enrolled in the course the Nude at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. Afterward he met who would be his great master: Pietro Annigoni. He began frequenting his studio, from 1963, and there his true artistic formation took place. His first solo exhibit was in 1972 at the Arts Unlimited Gallery of London, a complete success, and he was proclaimed a talent of international fame. Since then he has exhibited in numerous Italian cities and abroad. The artist has painted portraits of famous people, like that of Pope Giovanni Paolo II, and works of great relevance in locations such as the Abbey of Montecassino, the sanctuary of La Verna, the Abbey of Vallombrosa, the hospital “Don Gnocchi” of Scandicci and the church of the Transfiguration of Cape Cod in the United States. Noteworthy of his recent activity in 2012, to mention are his solo exhibition at the “Casa Rossa” in 2012 and the realization of the portrait of Giuseppe Betori, archbishop of Florence. In the spring of 2013 an exhibit of his work was held Villa Rufolo in Ravello (Sa).