Luciano Ventrone, 'Caravaggio of the 20th century', dies at 78 in oxygen tank explosion
Luciano Ventrone, an acclaimed Italian artist, died at 78 in his home-studio in Collelongo (AQ) on the night of April 15-16, 2021. He had been struggling with lung problems and used an oxygen tank, but when he tried to smoke a cigarette, the lighter sparked an explosion. Born in Rome in 1942, he spent part of his childhood in Denmark before returning to Italy to study at the Liceo Artistico and the Faculty of Architecture. In 1968, he shifted his focus entirely to painting, developing his famous 'realism-abstractism' style known for its hyperrealistic still lifes. His works have been displayed worldwide, with his last solo exhibition being 'Luciano Ventrone. La grande illusione' at the MART in Trento.
Key facts
- Luciano Ventrone died at age 78 in Collelongo (AQ) on April 15-16, 2021
- Death caused by oxygen tank explosion while lighting a cigarette
- Born in Rome in 1942, spent childhood in Denmark
- Attended Liceo Artistico and Faculty of Architecture
- Left studies in 1968 to pursue painting
- Developed 'realism-abstractism' hyperrealistic still life style
- Called 'Caravaggio of the 20th century' by critic Federico Zeri
- Last solo show at MART in Trento and Rovereto
Entities
Artists
- Luciano Ventrone
- Federico Zeri
- Giorgio Soavi
- Roberto Tassi
- Achille Bonito Oliva
- Vittorio Sgarbi
- Marco Di Capua
- Antonello Trombadori
- Edward Lucie-Smith
- Angelo Crespi
- Beatrice Buscaroli
- Evgenia Petrova
- Victoria Noel-Johnson
- Lorenzo Zichichi
Institutions
- MART – Museo di arte moderna e contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto
- Artribune
Locations
- Collelongo
- Italy
- Rome
- Denmark
- London
- Montreal
- Singapore
- New York
- Moscow
- Tokyo
- Saint Petersburg
- Trento
- Rovereto