Bruno Lucchesi, Last of the Renaissance Sculptors, Dies at 99
On July 3, 2026, Bruno Lucchesi, the renowned Italian American sculptor, passed away just weeks shy of his 100th birthday. To commemorate his legacy, Cavalier Galleries in New York will host "Bruno Lucchesi: Memorial Exhibition" from October 7 to November 6, 2026. Lucchesi is survived by his wife, Ann Rosow-Lucchesi, along with family, friends, collectors, and students. Throughout his impressive career spanning over seventy years, he gained recognition as a figurative sculptor committed to classical styles, creating the Sfoglia technique to depict realistic clothing folds. Born in 1926 in Fibbiano Montanino, Italy, he studied at Istituto d'Arte A. Passaglia and later taught at the New School and National Academy of Design. His significant works include The Bather and Woman Undressing, which are part of major museum collections.
Key facts
- Bruno Lucchesi died on July 3, 2026, just weeks short of his 100th birthday
- Cavalier Galleries in New York is hosting "Bruno Lucchesi: Memorial Exhibition" from October 7 to November 6, 2026
- Lucchesi's career spanned more than seven decades, working in bronze, terracotta, and marble
- He was born in Fibbiano Montanino, Lucca, Italy, in 1926 and moved to New York in 1958
- He pioneered the Sfoglia technique, layering thin, paper-like sheets of clay to create realistic drapery
- He taught at the New School and the National Academy of Design beginning in 1962
- His honors included a Guggenheim Fellowship, the National Sculpture Society's Medal of Honor, and the Portrait Society of America's Gold Medal for Lifelong Achievement
- His work is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Whitney Museum, and Cavalier Galleries
Entities
Artists
- Bruno Lucchesi
- Ann Rosow-Lucchesi
- Ron Cavalier
- Donatello
- Michelangelo
Institutions
- Cavalier Galleries
- Istituto d'Arte A. Passaglia
- University of Florence
- New School
- National Academy of Design
- Guggenheim Fellowship
- National Sculpture Society
- Portrait Society of America
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Brooklyn Museum
- Whitney Museum
- St. Mark's Theater
- Fordham University
- The Collector
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Dallas Museum of Art
- Istituto d'Arte "A. Passaglia"
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Fibbiano Montanino
- Lucca
- Italy
- Tuscany
- Florence
- Greenwich
- Nantucket
- Palm Beach
- New York City