Ugo Celada da Virgilio: The Fascist-Censored Painter Rediscovered
Ugo Celada da Virgilio (1895-1995), hailing from Cerese di Virgilio, demonstrated his artistic abilities from a young age, enrolling at the age of 12 in the Regia Scuola d’Arte Applicata di Mantua and later studying under Cesare Tallone at the Accademia di Brera. During World War I, he served as a military map drawer. His first appearance at the Venice Biennale in 1920 highlighted his photorealistic approach, earning him invitations to subsequent Biennales in 1924 and 1926. A disagreement with the Novecento movement and his signing of an anti-Novecento manifesto led to his isolation. Following the bombing of his studio in 1943, he withdrew from the public eye, passing away in obscurity in Varese. Rediscovered in 1985, the Museo Virgiliano now features 56 of his works, including a 2019 installation by Stefano Mangoni.
Key facts
- Ugo Celada da Virgilio was born in 1895 in Cerese di Virgilio, near Mantua, and died in 1995 at age 100.
- He studied at the Regia Scuola d’Arte Applicata di Mantua and the Accademia di Brera under Cesare Tallone.
- He served as a military map drawer in World War I.
- His official debut was at the 1920 Venice Biennale; he also exhibited in 1924 and 1926.
- In 1926, his work 'Distrazione' was praised by Émile Bernard, the only Italian so honored.
- He signed the anti-Novecento manifesto published in 'Il Regime Fascista', leading to his isolation.
- His studio was destroyed in a 1943 bombing in Milan's Piazza Cinque Giornate.
- He was rediscovered in 1985 with the opening of the Museo Virgiliano's permanent collection, which holds 56 of his works.
- The Museo Virgiliano reopened in 2019 with a curation by Stefano Mangoni.
- Flavio Caroli praised Celada's quality over German and French contemporaries.
Entities
Artists
- Ugo Celada da Virgilio
- Cesare Tallone
- Cagnaccio di San Pietro
- Antonio Donghi
- Émile Bernard
- Paul Cézanne
- Margherita Sarfatti
- Gregorio Sciltian
- Flavio Caroli
- Stefano Mangoni
Institutions
- Regia Scuola d’Arte Applicata di Mantova
- Accademia di Brera
- Biennale di Venezia
- Quadriennale di Torino
- Permanente di Milano
- Galleria Samadei
- Novecento movement
- Il Regime Fascista
- Museo Virgiliano
- Comune di Borgo Virgilio
- Galleria Carlo Virgilio
Locations
- Cerese di Virgilio
- Mantua
- Milan
- Paris
- Genoa
- Varese
- Piazza Cinque Giornate
- Italy