Andrea Vinai (1824–1893) was an Italian painter.
Biography He was born in Pianvignale, Frabosa Sottana, on 4 March 1824, near Mondovì in Piedmont then part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. As a young boy he apprenticed in Cuneo, under the painter Pastore, then traveled to Rome, where he frequented the Academy of San Luca, winning a stipend until 1848. He left Rome to join in the Wars of Italian Independence, and was wounded in the battle of Cornuda at Treviso. For this effort he was awarded a medal of military valor, and rose to level of captain. After the war, he returned to the Piedmont, where he painted mainly religious subjects. For example, in the Cathedral of Mondovi, Cathedral of Mondovi . he painted: Presbytery: Coronation of the Virgin and Four Prophets Ceiling of San Grato: San Francesco di Sales Chapel of San Giuseppe Chapel of San Biagio Second Chapel at left: Cena Domini
He also painted in the cathedrals of Saluzzo and Ceva;The church of the Arch-confraternity of Santa Maria e Santa Caterina in Ceva has frescoes by Vinai . and churches in Carassone, Pallare, Nole, Sommariva Perno, Boves, Carrù, Santa Vittoria d'Alba, Madonna dell'Olmo, Peveragno, Trinità, Garessio, and Cuneo. He completed many religious paintings in Cuneo, Mondovi, decoration of former convent of St Clares . Also the ceiling of a middle school in Mondovi has a fresco of Justice and busts of famous Italian jurists. Novara, Alessandria, Chiusa di Pesio in Valle Pesio,The presbytery of the church of the SS. Annunziata in Valle Pesio has a large oil canvas by Vinai. . and Casale Monferrato. In 1846 for the Crematorium of Turin, he completed a portrait of the King and of Pio IX, in 1846. Vinai taught art in public schools. Dizionario degli Artisti Italiani Viventi: pittori, scultori, e Architetti., by Angelo de Gubernatis. Tipe dei Successori Le Monnier, 1889, page 549.
References