Bruno Cassinari
Piacenza, 1912 - Milano, 1992
The painter's success brought his works over the decades: female figures and landscapes, seascapes and horses, with their essential construction and generous coloring, to all of Italy's most prestigious museum collections.
Bruno Cassinari trained at the Gazzola Institute in Piacenza in the 1920s before moving to Milan where he attended the Umanitaria, the Castello Sforzesco school and, from 1934, the Brera Academy where he graduated with Aldo Carpi in 1938. He frequented the environment of Corrente, exhibiting at the group's shows at Permanente and Galleria Grande.
In 1941, presented by Vittorini, he set up his first solo show and was awarded at the III Bergamo Prize where the following year he would establish himself as one of the most significant artists, dissident from official taste. He exhibited at Galleria Spiga and di Corrente in 1943, presented by R.De Grada, together with Morlotti and Treccani. In 1945, after the war, he makes the Fondo Matteotti prize his own.
In '46 he joined the Nuova secessione artistica in Venice, but distanced himself from it even before its establishment in Fronte nuovo per le arti. He is among the founders of the magazine "il '45." In '47 he exhibits at the Camino Gallery and travels to Paris. In '48 he is at the XXIV Venice Biennale. He wins the St.Vincent prize. In '49 he exhibits at the Milione and 20th-century Italian Art in New York. Stays in Antibes and meets Picasso, Chagall, Eluard.
In '50 he is at the XXV Venice Biennale and exhibits at Pablo Picasso's proposal at the Antibes Museum: the exhibition consecrates him among the major Italian artists. He exhibits at France-Italy reviews throughout the decade. He is grand prize ex aequo for painting at the Biennial of '52 where he exhibits presented by L.Vitali. He will also be present at the 1954 Biennials. 1956, 1960, 1962, 1964. In 1953 he exhibited at the S. Paulo Biennial in Brazil at Kurt Valentin's in New York. In 1955, 1959, 1966, 1972 he exhibited at the Quadriennale in Rome. In 1957 at the exhibition devoted to postwar painting in Italy at Columbia University in New York. In 1970 is the award at the Florence Biennale of Graphic Art.
Over the decades, the painter's success brought his works-female figures and landscapes, seascapes and horses, with their essential construction and generous color-into all the most prestigious Italian museum collections. Countless awards have been won, most recently at the Jesi Prize in 1992. Important appearances abroad.
The artist's work has always been supported by official critics in its major exponents, from Apollonio to Russoli, Venturi, Carrieri, Sperlich, Solmi, Crispolti, and De Micheli. Cassinari produced important works for public and private organizations and institutions, starting with the works executed for the Milan Triennials of '51 and '54. Monographic volumes extensively trace his artistic activity, which embraces, in addition to painting, sculpture, book illustration, graphics and jewelry. Major celebratory exhibitions in the 1970s and 1980s at Palazzo Farnese in Piacenza, Palazzo Diamanti in Ferrara, and Palazzo Reale in Milan. Last solo exhibition -living the artist- at Galleria Montrasio in Monza in 1992 with text by Giovanni Anzani.
Museums:
Milan, Civica Galleria d'Arte Moderna
Florence, Museum of Contemporary Art
Venice, Cà Pesaro Museum of Modern Art
Piacenza, Civic Gallery of Modern Art Ricci-Oddi
Gallarate, Milan, Civic Gallery of Modern Art
La Spezia, Civic Museum
Macerata, Municipal Museum and Art Gallery
Antibes, Picasso Museum
Sao Paulo, Brazil, Museum of Modern Art
Bibliography:
XXIV Biennale di Venezia, Venezia, Edizioni Serenissima, 1948;
Enciclopedia Universale Seda della Pittura Moderna, Milano, Seda, 1969;
G. Anzani, Cassinari, Milano, Fabbri Editori, 1984
In 1941, presented by Vittorini, he set up his first solo show and was awarded at the III Bergamo Prize where the following year he would establish himself as one of the most significant artists, dissident from official taste. He exhibited at Galleria Spiga and di Corrente in 1943, presented by R.De Grada, together with Morlotti and Treccani. In 1945, after the war, he makes the Fondo Matteotti prize his own.
In '46 he joined the Nuova secessione artistica in Venice, but distanced himself from it even before its establishment in Fronte nuovo per le arti. He is among the founders of the magazine "il '45." In '47 he exhibits at the Camino Gallery and travels to Paris. In '48 he is at the XXIV Venice Biennale. He wins the St.Vincent prize. In '49 he exhibits at the Milione and 20th-century Italian Art in New York. Stays in Antibes and meets Picasso, Chagall, Eluard.
In '50 he is at the XXV Venice Biennale and exhibits at Pablo Picasso's proposal at the Antibes Museum: the exhibition consecrates him among the major Italian artists. He exhibits at France-Italy reviews throughout the decade. He is grand prize ex aequo for painting at the Biennial of '52 where he exhibits presented by L.Vitali. He will also be present at the 1954 Biennials. 1956, 1960, 1962, 1964. In 1953 he exhibited at the S. Paulo Biennial in Brazil at Kurt Valentin's in New York. In 1955, 1959, 1966, 1972 he exhibited at the Quadriennale in Rome. In 1957 at the exhibition devoted to postwar painting in Italy at Columbia University in New York. In 1970 is the award at the Florence Biennale of Graphic Art.
Over the decades, the painter's success brought his works-female figures and landscapes, seascapes and horses, with their essential construction and generous color-into all the most prestigious Italian museum collections. Countless awards have been won, most recently at the Jesi Prize in 1992. Important appearances abroad.
The artist's work has always been supported by official critics in its major exponents, from Apollonio to Russoli, Venturi, Carrieri, Sperlich, Solmi, Crispolti, and De Micheli. Cassinari produced important works for public and private organizations and institutions, starting with the works executed for the Milan Triennials of '51 and '54. Monographic volumes extensively trace his artistic activity, which embraces, in addition to painting, sculpture, book illustration, graphics and jewelry. Major celebratory exhibitions in the 1970s and 1980s at Palazzo Farnese in Piacenza, Palazzo Diamanti in Ferrara, and Palazzo Reale in Milan. Last solo exhibition -living the artist- at Galleria Montrasio in Monza in 1992 with text by Giovanni Anzani.
Museums:
Milan, Civica Galleria d'Arte Moderna
Florence, Museum of Contemporary Art
Venice, Cà Pesaro Museum of Modern Art
Piacenza, Civic Gallery of Modern Art Ricci-Oddi
Gallarate, Milan, Civic Gallery of Modern Art
La Spezia, Civic Museum
Macerata, Municipal Museum and Art Gallery
Antibes, Picasso Museum
Sao Paulo, Brazil, Museum of Modern Art
Bibliography:
XXIV Biennale di Venezia, Venezia, Edizioni Serenissima, 1948;
Enciclopedia Universale Seda della Pittura Moderna, Milano, Seda, 1969;
G. Anzani, Cassinari, Milano, Fabbri Editori, 1984
