Renzo Vespignani
Encyclopedia
Renzo Vespignani
was an Italian
painter, printmaker and illustrator.
Vespignani illustrated the works of Boccaccio, Kafka and T. S. Eliot
, among others. In 1956, he co-founded the magazine Citta Aperta ("City Opened") and in 1963, co-founded the group II Pro e II Contro (Pro and Con) for neorealism
in figure art.
, Italy
in 1924, and he grew up in a Roman working-class suburb named Portonaccio. He began to paint during the difficult years of the German
occupation of Rome, hiding himself at Lino Bianchi Barriviera’s residence.
His drawings in 1944 recorded the ravages of German-occupied Rome in realistic detail. Those images, often likened to German Expressionist works, were featured in his first solo exhibition at Rome's Galleria La Margherita in 1945.
Meanwhile, he collaborated as a designer with many political-literary reviews done as poetic documentaries, relating to the cinema of Rossellini
and Vittorio de Sica
.
After the war, Vespignani contributed illustrations to political and literary journals. At New York
's Hugo Gallery
, his works were introduced to the U.S. in 1948.
In 1956 he co-founded, with other intellectuals, the review Citta Aperta ("City Opened"), a magazine concerning the city culture’s problems. At this time, his work had begun to focus on life in the harsh neighborhoods of Rome
's periphery, displaying a connection with the films and literature of Italian Neorealism
.
In 1963, with the painters, Ferroni, Ennio Calabria, Giuseppe Guerreschi
, Piero Guccione, Piero Guccione e Alberto Gianquinto and the art critics Dario Micacchi, Antonio Del Guercio and Morosini, he founded the group Il pro e il Contro (Pro and Con
), which immediately became a point of reference for the newborn neo-figures experiments. During the decade of the 1960s, Vespignani and the group sought to develop new critically and intellectually engaged figural art. Vespignani illustrated the works of Boccaccio, Kafka and T. S. Eliot
, among others.
Renzo Vespignani exhibited works across Italy and had participated in the Venice Biennale
four times. A 1985 exhibition at the French Academy in Rome examined the rapport between Vespignani's work and that of the Neorealist
poet and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini
.
After the 1970s, Vespignani rarely exhibited abroad, although two bodies of his work from the 1990s, Manhattan Transfer and An Afternoon in Chelsea, had been inspired by visits to New York City
.
Renzo Vespignani died on April 26, 2001, while undergoing surgery.
was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
painter, printmaker and illustrator.
Vespignani illustrated the works of Boccaccio, Kafka and T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
, among others. In 1956, he co-founded the magazine Citta Aperta ("City Opened") and in 1963, co-founded the group II Pro e II Contro (Pro and Con) for neorealism
Neorealism (art)
In art, neorealism was established by the ex-Camden Town Group painters Charles Ginner and Harold Gilman at the beginning of World War I. They set out to explore the spirit of their age through the shapes and colours of daily life...
in figure art.
Life and work
Renzo Vespignani was born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1924, and he grew up in a Roman working-class suburb named Portonaccio. He began to paint during the difficult years of the German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupation of Rome, hiding himself at Lino Bianchi Barriviera’s residence.
His drawings in 1944 recorded the ravages of German-occupied Rome in realistic detail. Those images, often likened to German Expressionist works, were featured in his first solo exhibition at Rome's Galleria La Margherita in 1945.
Meanwhile, he collaborated as a designer with many political-literary reviews done as poetic documentaries, relating to the cinema of Rossellini
Roberto Rossellini
Roberto Rossellini was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Rossellini was one of the directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing films such as Roma città aperta to the movement.-Early life:Born in Rome, Roberto Rossellini lived on the Via Ludovisi, where Benito Mussolini had...
and Vittorio de Sica
Vittorio de Sica
Vittorio De Sica was an Italian director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement....
.
After the war, Vespignani contributed illustrations to political and literary journals. At New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Hugo Gallery
Hugo Gallery
The Hugo Gallery was a New York gallery, founded by Robert Rothschild, Elizabeth Arden and Maria dei Principi Ruspoli Hugo operated between 1945 and 1955.The Hugo gallery was initially on East 55th Street and Madison Avenue....
, his works were introduced to the U.S. in 1948.
In 1956 he co-founded, with other intellectuals, the review Citta Aperta ("City Opened"), a magazine concerning the city culture’s problems. At this time, his work had begun to focus on life in the harsh neighborhoods of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
's periphery, displaying a connection with the films and literature of Italian Neorealism
Italian neorealism
Italian neorealism is a style of film characterized by stories set amongst the poor and working class, filmed on location, frequently using nonprofessional actors...
.
In 1963, with the painters, Ferroni, Ennio Calabria, Giuseppe Guerreschi
Giuseppe Guerreschi
Giuseppe Guerreschi was an Italian painter.-Biography:A clerk in a Milanese bank until he was twenty, he started taking evening classes at the Brera Academy in 1947, and enrolled for the Academy’s regular courses three years later. He studied painting under Aldo Carpi and engraving with Benvenuto...
, Piero Guccione, Piero Guccione e Alberto Gianquinto and the art critics Dario Micacchi, Antonio Del Guercio and Morosini, he founded the group Il pro e il Contro (Pro and Con
Pro and Con
Pro and Con is a 1993 9 minute 16mm short animated film produced, directed and animated by Joanna Priestley and Joan Gratz using drawings on paper, pixillated hands and object animation...
), which immediately became a point of reference for the newborn neo-figures experiments. During the decade of the 1960s, Vespignani and the group sought to develop new critically and intellectually engaged figural art. Vespignani illustrated the works of Boccaccio, Kafka and T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
, among others.
Renzo Vespignani exhibited works across Italy and had participated in the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
four times. A 1985 exhibition at the French Academy in Rome examined the rapport between Vespignani's work and that of the Neorealist
Neorealism (art)
In art, neorealism was established by the ex-Camden Town Group painters Charles Ginner and Harold Gilman at the beginning of World War I. They set out to explore the spirit of their age through the shapes and colours of daily life...
poet and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini was an Italian film director, poet, writer, and intellectual. Pasolini distinguished himself as a poet, journalist, philosopher, linguist, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, newspaper and magazine columnist, actor, painter and political figure...
.
After the 1970s, Vespignani rarely exhibited abroad, although two bodies of his work from the 1990s, Manhattan Transfer and An Afternoon in Chelsea, had been inspired by visits to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Renzo Vespignani died on April 26, 2001, while undergoing surgery.
External links
- Obituary webpage: Obit-Vespignani.