Luigi Varoli: From Plate Painter to Righteous Among the Nations
Luigi Varoli (Cotignola, 1889–1958) began his career as an apprentice painter before studying under Paolo Visani and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ravenna. In 1920, he relocated to Rome, where he encountered Armando Spadini and socialized at Caffè Aragno alongside de Chirico, Capogrossi, and Mafai. After returning to Cotignola in 1922, he showcased his work in Ravenna, Cervia, and Imola. In 1931, he met Fortunato Depero and received a diploma in double bass. As an educator, he mentored local artists and crafted papier-mâché masks. Although he joined the Fascist Party, he sheltered Jews during WWII, earning the Righteous Among the Nations honor in 2002. He later taught at Liceo Artistico di Ravenna and exhibited in Paris. A retrospective at Casa Varoli took place in 2023.
Key facts
- Luigi Varoli was born in 1889 in Cotignola and died in 1958.
- He started as an apprentice painter of plates and jugs.
- He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ravenna and the Regio Istituto Superiore di Belle Arti in Rome.
- He met artists including Giorgio de Chirico, Giuseppe Capogrossi, Mario Mafai, and Armando Spadini.
- He founded the Scuola di Arti e Mestieri di Cotignola.
- He was declared Righteous Among the Nations by Israel in 2002 for hiding Jews during WWII.
- Casa Varoli, his home and studio, reopened after four years of closure.
- The retrospective 'Luigi Varoli. Un maestro nel Novecento (1889–1958)' was curated by Orlando Piraccini.
Entities
Artists
- Luigi Varoli
- Paolo Visani
- Armando Spadini
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Giuseppe Capogrossi
- Mario Mafai
- Fortunato Depero
- Francesco Balilla Pratella
- Folli
- Panighi
- Ruffini
- Giangrandi
- Dino Grandi
- Raffaele De Grada
- Orlando Piraccini
- Ludovico Pratesi
Institutions
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Ravenna
- Regio Istituto Superiore di Belle Arti
- Caffè Aragno
- Scuola di Arti e Mestieri di Cotignola
- Scuola di Disegno di Massa Lombarda
- Regia Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna
- Liceo Artistico di Ravenna
- Salon des Indépendants
- Casa Varoli
- Artribune
Locations
- Cotignola
- Italy
- Ravenna
- Rome
- Cervia
- Imola
- Bologna
- Massa Lombarda
- Paris
- France