Renato Barilli remembers art historian Luciano Caramel

Renato Barilli, born 1935, professor emeritus at the University of Bologna, commemorates his contemporary Luciano Caramel (Como, 1935 – Erba, 2022), a meticulous scholar of Medardo Rosso and reconstructor of Sant'Elia's career. Caramel, a 'Gran Lombardo' active between Como and Milan, balanced attention to existentialist artists near Informale and rigorous abstractionists like Rho, Radice, and Reggiani. In 1984, Caramel directed the Italian selection at the Venice Biennale, a role Barilli had held twelve years earlier. Barilli had hoped Caramel would favor his 'Nuovi-nuovi' movement, but Caramel remained objective, avoiding trends. Caramel's legacy includes his student Francesco Tedeschi, who later curated a comprehensive survey at Gallerie d'Italia in Piazza del Duomo, covering recent movements without overemphasizing Transavanguardia. Barilli recalls a trip to Cairo with Caramel, his wife Alessandra Borgogelli, and Caramel's relative Nando, where they discussed contemporary art and visited the Pyramids.