Narciso Malatesta (26 October 1835, Venice – 26 September 1896, Cilla Rometta near Sassuolo) was an Italian painter, active in Modena, mainly depicting historical and sacred subjects in a Realist style.
He was the son of the painter Adeodato Malatesta, and began his studies at the . After studying there, he traveled to Florence. In 1860, he married Adele Mari, daughter of a deputy to Parliament, Adriano Mari. Their son, Baccio, would become director of the Gazzettino artistico letterario of Florence.[1] Among his works are Il Falconiere (Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan); Il Numismatico (Academy of Fine Arts of Modena); Il Varchi che legge le Storie a Cosimo de' Medici (Gallery of Modern Art, in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence); Carlo d' Angiò che visita lo studio di Cimabue; Dante che riceve Boccaccio; La moneta antica; La famiglia del disertore; L' aia di Mileto che ritrae Giulio Cesare; and La famiglia del saltimbanco. He was professor of design, photography, and topography at the Military Academy of Modena.[2]