Elio Benvenuto
Elio Benvenuto (Pietrasanta, Italy. January 7, 1914 – November 23, 1991)
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Untitled by Elio Benvenuto, Circa 1950s, Stone, 20-1/2 x 6 x 4
Stone Machine for Measuring Time by Elio Benvenuto, 1964, Stone, 22 x 16 x 11
4 CORNERS by Elio Benvenuto, Painted & Glazed Ceramic, 9-1/4 x 8-1/2 x 8-1/2 Text reads: 4 CORNERS – ONE = 3.?!
Lipari by Elio Benvenuto, 1966, Acrylic on Canvas, 37-1/2 x 45-1/2
Elio Benvenuto (1914-1991) was a master sculptor and artist versed in a range of mediums. Elio born into a family of traditional stone carvers, marble workers and artists in Pietrasanta, Lucca, Italy, of Tuscan, Ligurian, and Sardinian descent. He began training as an apprentice at 11, then studied in Genoa and Florence.
An active Partisan during WWII Italy, Elio 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, Elio 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.