Arturo Nathan: The Ascetic Painter Rediscovered

Arturo Nathan (1891-1944), a painter from Trieste who gained admiration from Giorgio de Chirico, has been rediscovered thanks to recent exhibitions. In 1945, De Chirico characterized Nathan as "intelligent, meek, just, and good." Born to English Jewish merchant Jacob and Alice Luzzatto, Nathan studied in Trieste until 1911. After unsuccessful attempts in London and Genoa, he joined the British forces during WWI. He returned to Italy in 1919 and became a self-taught artist. By 1921, he had opened his first studio and adopted de Chirico's style by 1925. He showcased his work at the Venice Biennale in 1926 and 1928, followed by a significant exhibition in 1929. His career was cut short by racial laws in 1938, leading to his arrest in 1940 and subsequent death in Biberach in 1944. Recent exhibitions include "Arturo Nathan. Il contemplatore solitario" at Mart in Rovereto.