Antonio Piatti Biography
Antonio Piatti (1875 - 1962), son of the sculptor Domenico, was introduced to sculpture by his father from a young age and worked in the family workshop at the age of twelve. He later perfected his skills with Leonardo Bistolfi in Turin and then dedicated himself to painting. At 17 he enrolled in the drawing school of the Technical Institute of Cuneo, where his family had moved, following courses in Brera as a student of Cesare Tallone.
While still a student, in 1901 he participated in the first art exhibition in Varese and obtained the silver medal in Turin. In 1903 he won the national painting prize at the Brera biennial with the painting "Supremo Sorrow". In 1904 he won the "Pensionato Oggioni" award, which guaranteed him a study stay in Rome for two years. Before going to Rome, he spent a few months in Paris to deepen his knowledge of the environment and artistic trends. After the Roman period, he participated in all the main exhibitions in Italy and abroad and for 16 years he excelled at the Venice Biennials.
Initially oriented towards historical and genre painting, he later approached portraiture and landscape. His works are found in various private collections, at the GAM in Milan and at the Municipality of Cuneo, where his first major portrait, depicting Giovanni Giolitti, is preserved. The portrait of the composer Pietro Mascagni is preserved in the Teatro della Scala Museum.
In addition to being a painter, Piatti was also interested in sculpture and literature, occasionally adding some products of his initial passion to his painting masterpieces. One of his works, "The bridge of sighs", which depicts a couple of lovers on the banks of the Stura di Cuneo, was successfully reproduced on postcards for over 50 years.
