Giuseppe Civitelli Biography
Ceramist and painter Giuseppe Civitelli was born in Aiello Calabro, in the province of Cosenza, in 1907. He learned the art of ceramics following a youthful passion, considering it only a pastime until retirement age when, after leaving teaching, thanks to friendship with the sculptor Marino Mazzacutelli he began to frequent the Roman artistic environment and return to his love for the material. From 1952 to 1973 he held personal exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions and art competitions, enjoying notable critical success and receiving numerous awards. An eclectic artist, he also dedicates himself to painting, engraving, design and furniture. Since 1973 he has dedicated himself mainly to graphics. Some of his works are present in the collections of the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza, the Museum of Rome in Palazzo Braschi, the National Museum of Crafts in Florence as well as in numerous private collections in Italy and abroad . He died in Rome in 1990. In 2009 an exhibition entitled "Terra Incognita - Italy's Ceramic Revival" held in London presents, together with those of 22 other great Italian ceramic artists of the 20th century including Leoncillo, Pietro Melandri, Lucio Fontana, Fausto Melotti, Guido Gambone etc. also six works by the Calabrian artist.