Rediscovering Carlo Bonacina, the Forgotten Painter of Trentino
Carlo Bonacina (1905-2001), a painter hailing from Mestrino near Padua, is experiencing a revival of interest for his religious frescoes found in the churches of Trentino's Val di Non. He trained under Emanuele Brugnoli and Virgilio Guidi at Venice's Accademia di Belle Arti, where he was introduced to Realismo Magico. His early creations, 'Autoritratto' (1925) and 'Ritratto della madre' (1926), reveal significant psychological insight. In 1931, he relocated to Cles, focusing on local subjects such as 'Cavalli all'abbeveratoio' (1933). Bonacina participated in the fascist syndicate from 1933 to 1943, producing works like 'La famiglia rurale' (1938). He completed a significant fresco cycle at Santa Maria delle Grazie (1946-1950) and showcased his art at the Venice Biennale and Rome Quadriennale. A retrospective at Palazzo Arcivescovile in 2009 highlighted his oeuvre, and currently, four of his works are featured in 'Arte e Fascismo' at Mart in Rovereto.
Key facts
- Carlo Bonacina (1905-2001) was born in Mestrino, Padua, but worked extensively in Trentino.
- He studied at Venice's Accademia di Belle Arti under Emanuele Brugnoli and Virgilio Guidi.
- Guidi introduced him to Realismo Magico, influencing early works like 'Autoritratto' (1925) and 'Ritratto della madre' (1926).
- In 1931, Gino Pancheri convinced him to move to Cles, Val di Non, where he lived until 1948.
- He was a member of the fascist syndicate from 1933 to 1943, producing works like 'La famiglia rurale' (1938).
- His style later became more austere, influenced by Carlo Carrà.
- He created a major fresco cycle at the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Cles (1946-1950).
- He exhibited at the Venice Biennale seven times and the Rome Quadriennale five times.
- A 2009 exhibition 'Carlo Bonacina. La memoria costruita' at Palazzo Arcivescovile in Cles, curated by Giovanna Nicoletti, surveyed his murals and displayed about sixty paintings.
- Four of his works are currently in the exhibition 'Arte e Fascismo' at Mart in Rovereto, curated by Beatrice Avanzi and Daniela Ferrari.
- 'Arte e Fascismo' includes 400 works across 8 sections, examining fascism's relationship with figurative arts.
- The exhibition's catalog is published by L'Erma di Bretschneider.
Entities
Artists
- Carlo Bonacina
- Emanuele Brugnoli
- Virgilio Guidi
- Massimo Bontempelli
- Gino Pancheri
- Carlo Carrà
- Giovanna Nicoletti
- Beatrice Avanzi
- Daniela Ferrari
- Ludovico Pratesi
Institutions
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia
- Liceo Artistico Michelangelo Guggenheim
- Biennale di Venezia
- Quadriennale di Roma
- Palazzo Arcivescovile di Cles
- Mart (Museo di arte moderna e contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto)
- L'Erma di Bretschneider
- Artribune
Locations
- Mestrino
- Padua
- Trentino
- Val di Non
- Cles
- Casez
- Ronzone
- Molveno
- Predaia
- Lombardy
- Milan
- Cremona
- Venice
- Rome
- Rovereto
- Italy