A painting shown at the 1907 Venice Biennale marked the professional shift for Felice Casorati, who transitioned from law student at the University of Padua to a prolific career in painting, sculpture, and graphic design. Throughout the early twentieth century, he developed a distinctive aesthetic that challenged naturalism through geometric structure and formal clarity.
Early Development and Influences
Born in Novara in 1883, Casorati originally studied music before shifting his focus to art following a severe illness. Although he completed law studies to satisfy his mother, he pursued painting after 1907. His initial naturalistic style evolved significantly after 1910 under the influence of Symbolism and Gustav Klimt, leading to a more cerebral approach that emphasized visionary compositions over literal representations.
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In 1918, Casorati settled in Turin, where his work began to embody the post-World War I trend known as the return to order. His pieces from this decade are characterized by symmetry and a cold, academic precision that drew comparisons to Renaissance master Piero della Francesca. His 1922 portrait, Silvana Cenni, represents this period, utilizing volumes that create a sense of deliberate unreality.
Teaching and Later Career
Beginning in 1923, Casorati opened his studio to young artists, including Quinto Martini and his future wife, Daphne Mabel Maugham. While he was briefly detained in 1923 for anti-Fascist affiliations, he remained a prominent figure in the Italian art scene. After 1930, his style became less severe, incorporating brighter colors. He won the First Prize at the 1938 Venice Biennale and continued working in stage design until his death in Turin in 1963.
Fast facts
- Born: 1883, Novara, Italy
- Died: 1963, Turin, Italy
- Educated: University of Padua
- Primary Occupations: Painter, sculptor, graphic artist, designer
- Key Recognition: First Prize, Venice Biennale 1938
- Notable Membership: Accademia delle Arti del Disegno
- Marriage: Daphne Mabel Maugham
Questions readers ask
What stylistic movement is Felice Casorati associated with?
He is primarily associated with the return to order movement, which emphasized geometry and formal clarity in the period following World War I.
Where can the works of Felice Casorati be found today?
His work is held in numerous institutions, including the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
