Calabi Gallery

Featuring an Eclectic Array of Primarily 20th Century Artwork

Elio Benvenuto

Elio Benvenuto (Pietrasanta, Italy. January 7, 1914 – November 23, 1991)

Lipari by Elio Benvenuto, 1966, Acrylic on Canvas, 37-1/2 x 45-1/2

 

Elio Benvenuto (1914-1991) A master sculptor and artist versed in a range of mediums, born into a family of traditional stone carvers, marble workers and artists in Pietrasanta, Lucca, Italy of Tuscan, Ligurian, and Sardinian descent. Elio began training as an apprentice at 11, then studied in Genoa and Florence. An active Partisan during WWII Italy, he immigrated to San Francisco postwar joining his wife Lydia Macchiarini Benvenuto and her family, where he soon became an influential figure in the mid-century arts movement. A skilled teacher, beloved mentor and cultural leader, he was instrumental in establishing important San Francisco arts infrastructure and founded the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery, co-founded Fort Mason Center, and was Director of the vibrant SFAC Annual Arts Festival.

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