Otto Geleng – The Artist Who Revealed Taormina to the World

Otto Geleng, born in Berlin to a noble family from Lower Saxony, studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. His life changed when he saw his teacher’s sketches from a trip to Sicily—especially the breathtaking views of Taormina. Fascinated, he vowed to visit one day.

When he finally arrived, the beauty of the landscape—and his love for a local woman, Filomena Zuccaro—convinced him to stay. That choice marked the beginning of the Geleng family: a lineage of painters still active in the art world today.

Geleng played a crucial role in putting Taormina on the map. His romantic paintings, shown in major galleries across Germany and France, were sometimes met with skepticism. Critics believed they were too idyllic to be real. To prove them wrong, Geleng invited them to visit Taormina in person—on his dime if they remained unconvinced. They didn’t.

From that moment, Taormina became a must-visit destination for European travelers.

In his gallery-workshop, Geleng taught his children, showcased his work, and experimented with styles such as macchiaioli and pointillism. He became a cultural bridge between Sicily’s timeless beauty and the modern world.

The featured painting—an oil on canvas—captures his signature use of light and shadow through a pergola, enhanced by delicate pointillist technique. Recently restored, it maintains the charming craquelure that tells the story of its age.