Luigi Rapuzzi Artwork valuations, appraisals and auction estimates

Luigi Rapuzzi was born on 14 May 1905 in Sacile. From a young age he showed an early interest in drawing and painting. Read the full biography

Luigi Rapuzzi was born on 14 May 1905 in Sacile. From a young age he showed an early interest in drawing and painting. After a short period at the Polytechnic of Milan, he decided to enroll at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. In the 1920s, Rapuzzi was influenced by futurist research, which he interpreted in numerous collages and wax painted temperas. In this period, adopting the name of a presumably Venetian ancestor, Rapuzzi began using the pseudonym “Johannis”. His first public exhibition dates back to 1942, at the Venice Biennale, where he exhibited "Simultaneous aerial portrait of the aerial painter Crali". From 1947 to 1951 Rapuzzi lived in America, in New York, earning a living as a house painter, decorator and restorer. He also works as an illustrator and science fiction writer, and participates in some group exhibitions in Greenwich Village. Returning to Italy, Rapuzzi settled in Milan and adopted a style of surrealist ancestry. He also writes science fiction novels and collaborates with many periodicals in the sector. Between the 1950s and 1960s he held several personal exhibitions in private galleries. The artist died in Milan on 21 September 1968.