Benvenuto Ferrazzi: The Forgotten Painter Rediscovered

Benvenuto Ferrazzi, originally named Riccardo Ferrazzi, was born in Castel Madama in 1892 and passed away in Rome in 1969. At the age of 15, he adopted his new name in tribute to the renowned artist Benvenuto Cellini. He was the son of painter Stanislao and the sibling of artist Ferruccio. In the 1910s, Ferrazzi began his career as a copyist in Rome's museums, making his first public appearance in 1918 at galleria dell'Epoca. He later became associated with Anton Giulio Bragaglia's gallery, where he explored marginalized themes using vibrant colors. After spending a decade in the mortuary of the Convent of Santi Cosma e Damiano, he earned the moniker "Benvenuto la morte." In the 1930s, he portrayed various districts of Rome, while his works from the 1950s exhibited a more symbolic approach. His talent was revived by Laura Moreschini, who co-curated the 2016 exhibition "Benvenuto Ferrazzi (1892-1969)."