This plein air painting course in Cilento is designed for those who already paint and want to test their technique against classical tradition. Five intensive days, with a small group, working continuously alongside Cesare Siboni —not a series of demonstrations, but a real dialogue, painting by painting. The programme combines studio sessions, outdoor work in the landscape, and visits to places that shaped the history of Cilento: starting from the Ortega Museum in Bosco, which holds the legacy of a painter from Picasso’s circle, exiled here during the Franco dictatorship.
It’s not a workshop, it’s a residency. You feel the difference when the conversations started at the easel continue at the table. Cesare teaches the way one used to learn in the old workshops: with the head, the hands, and the time of those who are in no hurry.
Two complete works in five days. The first begins with a preparatory drawing transferred to canvas; the second draws from photographic material gathered during a visit to the village of Bosco and the Ortega Museum; the third is painted using the ancient techniques of the old masters — media, materials and methods that Cesare has studied and practised for decades. On the third day, moreover, you learn to physically build a canvas from scratch: stretcher assembly and priming, a step most contemporary painters have never done.
The fourth day has a free morning: you head out into the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, observe, draw en plein air. It is not a break — it is part of the method. On the fifth day, finally, a guided visit to the Basilian Cenobium of San Giovanni a Piro and a panoramic view from Ciolandrea, followed by a final review of all three works.
Groups never exceed twelve participants: a choice that gives Cesare the time to follow each person’s work individually. The guided tours bring direct resources to the communities of Bosco and San Giovanni a Piro, in the heart of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. The seventeenth-century techniques Cesare teaches — those that are not found in contemporary manuals — are a cultural heritage that is passed on, not just studied.
What makes this course different from a standard workshop?
The focus on 17th-century Italian and Spanish painting techniques — materials, media and methods that contemporary courses no longer teach — and the direct, continuous work with Cesare Siboni, founder of the Accademia del Cilento, with works in collections across Italy, Japan and Belgium.
Who is this for?
For those who paint regularly and want to engage with a master of classical training. For those who want to step out of the comfort zone of their own method. For those curious about antique techniques and not satisfied with standard courses.
The structure of the programme is the promise to the guest of what they will experience — the two works, the construction of the canvas, the seventeenth-century techniques, the visits, the shared lunches. The rhythm of the day is in the Master’s hands. On site, things are brought forward or stretched out, the order can change, the group is read, improvisation happens when needed.
Day 1
5:00 PM — Meet at the Rifugio del Contadino for the introduction to the workshop and the work programme with Cesare.
Day 2
10:00 AM — Workshop: drawing with pencil, charcoal and sanguine on chosen subjects.
1:00 PM — Shared lunch on site.
Afternoon — Transferring the drawing to canvas; starting the first oil work.
6:30 PM — Tour of the village of Bosco: Ortega Museum (Spanish painter from the Picasso school, exiled during the Franco regime) and majolica murals by Peppino Mitarotonda (1828 uprisings). Photographic material collected.
Day 3
10:00 AM — Study of the photographic material; starting the second work.
1:00 PM — Shared lunch on site.
5:00 PM — Working on the second work. Hands-on session: building a canvas from scratch, frame assembly and priming, with Cesare.
Day 4
Free morning — Independent outing in the territory: observing, drawing en plein air, gathering inspiration.
1:00 PM — Shared lunch on site.
4:00 PM — Workshop: completing the second work with the antique techniques of the classical masters (materials, mediums and traditional methodologies).
Day 5
10:00 AM — Guided tour of the Basilian Cenobio of San Giovanni a Piro, with a panoramic view from the Ciolandrea plateau.
1:00 PM — Closing shared lunch. Final reflections on the two completed works. Farewells.
Booking subject to confirmation.
Final confirmation of the course is subject to reaching the minimum number of participants. The balance is due directly to the partner provider at the start of the course. Services will be delivered only upon payment of the balance.
Cancellation policy: moderate.
Details at: Cancellation policy
Every experience we offer has been carefully selected to ensure a positive impact on local communities and the environment, while at the same time providing you with an authentic and unforgettable experience. If you wish to know more or have questions about our offerings, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are ready to provide you with all the information you need to make your trip special and perfectly aligned with your interests.
