Nino Caffe' Artwork valuations, appraisals and auction estimates

Nino Caffè, born Giovannino Caffè (Alfedena, 24 June 1908 – Pesaro, 17 May 1975), was an Italian painter and engraver. Nino Caffè was born in Alfedena in Abruzzo in 1909; Having completed his elementary studies in L'Aquila, in 1920 his family moved to Ancona, where he received his first painting lessons from Ludovico Spagnolini. Read the full biography

Nino Caffe' Biography

Nino Caffè, born Giovannino Caffè (Alfedena, 24 June 1908 – Pesaro, 17 May 1975), was an Italian painter and engraver. Nino Caffè was born in Alfedena in Abruzzo in 1909; Having completed his elementary studies in L'Aquila, in 1920 his family moved to Ancona, where he received his first painting lessons from Ludovico Spagnolini. In 1930 he moved to Pesaro and became involved in the lively cultural and artistic life of the city, and met various local artists (Bruno Baratti, Werter Bettini, Ciro Cancelli, Alessandro Gallucci, Aldo Pagliacci, Achille Wildi). Already in 1931 he began to exhibit and in 1938 he participated in the Venice Biennale, in which he obtained a purchase prize from King Vittorio Emanuele III; in 1935 he graduated from the State Institute of Art in Urbino where, in 1943 and 1944, he taught "figure". He spent the war period in Urbino, guest of the Benedetti family; it is from their house, located in front of the cathedral, that he sees the first priests pass by, a motif that will characterize his future painting. He also participated a lot in the cultural life of Urbino; in fact he was a member of the Raffaello Academy from 4 February 1948. The Gianferrari gallery in Milan dedicated a large exhibition to him in 1944. In 1946, in Pesaro, he held a solo exhibition in the gallery of Rossini's birthplace. The moment of true success began for him: he had a studio in Rome where he supported the Obelisco gallery, directed by Gaspero del Corso and Irene Brin, who also opened a branch in New York with one of her solo shows. The Metropolitan Museum purchases one of his works. In 1963 he closed the Roman studio and returned to Pesaro, while continuing to collaborate with the Obelisco gallery. Other galleries, in addition to Gianferrari in Milan, the San Luca in Verona, the Vicolo in Genoa, the Probibia in Palermo, the Zoot in La Spezia. He alternates the production of painting with that of engraving with equal success. His work is appreciated by major European and American collectors, consecrating the painter "of the priests" to international fame. Nino Caffè died in Pesaro in 1975 at the age of 66 following a cardiovascular collapse.