A Life Cut Short: The Brief, Brilliant Flame of Raffaello Sernesi The history of Italian art is often written through the lens of long, storied careers, yet some of its most poignant chapters belong to those whose light was extinguished far too soon. Raffaello Sernesi, born in Florence in 1838, remains one of the most evocative figures of the mid-19th century. His life was a tapestry woven with the threads of artistic devotion and pat…