Carnovali was born in Montegrino Valtravaglia, a small town near Varese. His father was a bricklayer. Carnovali showed a very early talent in drawing. In 1815, when he was 11 years old, he was admitted to the Carrara Academy in Bergamo. His first major public work was "The Education of the Virgin". He painted it in 1826. The painting was ordered by the parish church in Almenno San Bartolomeo, a small town near Bergamo. In 1836 Carnovali settled in Milan. His pupils included Tranquillo Cremona.