About
the artist: Eliano Fantuzzi
Eliano Fantuzzi was born in 1909 in Modena, Italy. At the young age of
15 he attended the School of Arts in Verona and, after only one year,
was promoted to the academy. He dreamed of life as an artist in Paris
and in 1929 he realized his dream.
He
struggled for the first few years, opening a studio in Montparnasse.
Fantuzzi meets Picasso in 1939 and enters the social circle of one of
the greatest artists in history, going beyond Paris to Lione, Bordeaux
and Grenoble.
He
established relationships with other great artists such as Chagall,
Matisse, and Braque. He also meets the love of his life, Pierrette.
After WWII began, Fantuzzi enlisted in the French Army but in 1940,
after Italy entered into the war with France, he was captured and sent
to a concentration camp. Thankfully, he was soon delivered from the
Italians and freed. He returned to Paris until 1943 and then went to
try his luck in the art world in Rome. Although nearly exiled in his
homeland, he starts over and soon his art becomes renowned. After an
exhibition in Trieste, he meets the Russo brothers, painters in Rome,
and enters the circle of the most appreciated artists both from the
public and critics alike. There he gained favorable exposure for his
paintings and increased demand for his works. His exhibits are
successful and he participates in the 'Quadriennale of Rome' and the
'Biennale in Venice'.
In
1948 - 1952, Fantuzzi was commissioned by the Ibin Saud of Saudi
Arabia to fresco the Hall of Receptions to the Palace of Taif. He
painted scenes of peace and war with the use of animals. This work
gained Fantuzzi great notoriety and he became known worldwide.
His
exhibitions are held in Germany, Belgium, Israel, Switzerland,
Lebanon, and the USA. In the 1960s he settles down and opens a studio
in Capri. In the 1970s he moves back to his native town, Verona.
Fantuzzi continued to exhibit and paint until his death in 1987 at the
age of 78.
Translated quote from
Fantuzzi:
"I have always portrayed, in my painting, the
joy of the light of our full life, of our splendid emotions, in the
homes and between the people. The spirits of the people and the things
that do not have matter. I would want to paint impalpable colors,
indeed I will have to still execute my beautiful paintings."
