Raffaele Carrieri: The Art Critic Who Was Once a Shepherd and Sailor

Raffaele Carrieri (Taranto, 1905 – Pietrasanta, 1984) led an extraordinary life before becoming a respected art critic. At thirteen he ran away from home, stowed away on a boat to Albania, and walked to Montenegro to live with shepherds. In 1920 he joined Gabriele d'Annunzio's forces, was wounded at the "Natale di Sangue" in Fiume, losing use of his left hand. He worked as a customs officer in Palermo, then sailed the Mediterranean before spending five years in Paris, where he wrote poetry, posed for artists including Pablo Picasso, and worked as a dishwasher. In 1930 he moved to Milan, writing for L'Illustrazione Italiana, Epoca, and Milano Sera. He published novels in the 1930s and poetry collections in the 1940s, winning the Viareggio Prize for "Il trovatore" (1953). As an art critic, he authored monographs on Piero Marussig, Giorgio de Chirico, Modigliani, Marino Marini, Campigli, and Gentilini. His Milan home was filled with books, African sculpture, and contemporary art.