Flavio Costantini (21 September 1926 – 20 May 2013) was an Italian artist. Costantini created portraits of writers and artists for newspapers, and illustrated several novels. His early works were inspired by the novelist Franz Kafka, and by literary, utopian and anarchist ideals.[1] His later work presented a pessimistic view of civilization. He created series of paintings exploring historical themes: Anarchy, the wreck of the Titanic, alchemy and Mozart, the French Revolution and its victims, Yekaterinburg and the murder of Nicholas II and his family. His last series offered a dark reading of Pinocchio, which he considered one of the three or four greatest Italian novels.
In September 1926 he was born in Rome to middle-class parents, and his father was an amateur painter. As a child, he was crafty, and kept a diary accompanied with newspaper cut-outs, collages, photos and drawings. At a renowned Roman high school, he failed French and Latin.
World War IIedit
Costantini's experiences during World War II led his focus to the suffering and meaninglessness of the world; it was at this time, too, that he became interested in utopianism.[2] He graduated as sea captain, served in the Italian Navy, and 1951 to 1954 was employed in the Merchant Marine. He moved with his family to Rapallo and in 1959, after a visit to Spain, devoted a series of paintings to bullfighting.[3] He was a member of the artists' group that founded the Galleria del Deposito in Boccadasse, Genoa. Other members were Eugenio Carmi, Emanuele Luzzati, Carlo Vita, etc. A collector of old illustrated magazines, he used this material to create in his Rapallo home and studio paintings and portraits, which typically include period pieces and advertisements. He often depicted scenes in Genoa (squares, shops, buildings, boats), contrasting the old and the new. Philip Levine's poem "On a Drawing by Flavio", describes Costantini's stark portrait of the Rabbi of Auschwitz, who "bows his head and prays / for us all". Costantini died in Genoa after a short illness. A memorial meeting, with talks by friends and critics, was held on 12 June 2013 at the Museo Luzzati, Genoa, which holds a number of his works.
Inspirationedit
He first experimented with illustration after his time spent in the Italian navy doing drawings of Kafka's work. "His earliest ventures into art were motivated more by intellectual frustration than by artistic masters. 'I started to draw because I read the Kafka books… it was impossible to write like Kafka, so I began to draw'. Other writers followed, but it was the human condition as portrayed by Kafka that was to remain the dominant influence in Costantini’s world."[4] But it wasn't until the 1960s when he read Victor Serge'sMemoires of a Revolutionary that he began to champion anarchism through his works.
^"È morto Flavio Costantini, il ricordo di Tonino Conte" (in Italian). Genova.mentelocale.it. 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2013-06-02.
^Farina, Roberto. "Flavio Constantini. An Experienced Anarchist". Retrieved 23 May 2013.
^Costantini, ed. Francesca Danovaro and Matteo Fochessati, Genoa, Nugae, 2010.
^[1] 2013-08-12 at the Wayback Machine "Obituary: FLAVIO COSTANTINI (Rome, 21 September 1926—Rapallo, 20 May 2013)". Christie Books. 21 May 2013. Site accessed 1 June 2013.
^Mayakovsky, Vladimir. The Horse of Fire. Emme Edizioni, 1969 Nugae Milan, Genoa, 2006.
flavio, costantini, september, 1926, 2013, italian, artist, costantini, created, portraits, writers, artists, newspapers, illustrated, several, novels, early, works, were, inspired, novelist, franz, kafka, literary, utopian, anarchist, ideals, later, work, pre. Flavio Costantini 21 September 1926 20 May 2013 was an Italian artist Costantini created portraits of writers and artists for newspapers and illustrated several novels His early works were inspired by the novelist Franz Kafka and by literary utopian and anarchist ideals 1 His later work presented a pessimistic view of civilization He created series of paintings exploring historical themes Anarchy the wreck of the Titanic alchemy and Mozart the French Revolution and its victims Yekaterinburg and the murder of Nicholas II and his family His last series offered a dark reading of Pinocchio which he considered one of the three or four greatest Italian novels Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 World War II 1 3 Inspiration 2 Novels illustrated 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksBiography editEarly life edit In September 1926 he was born in Rome to middle class parents and his father was an amateur painter As a child he was crafty and kept a diary accompanied with newspaper cut outs collages photos and drawings At a renowned Roman high school he failed French and Latin World War II edit Costantini s experiences during World War II led his focus to the suffering and meaninglessness of the world it was at this time too that he became interested in utopianism 2 He graduated as sea captain served in the Italian Navy and 1951 to 1954 was employed in the Merchant Marine He moved with his family to Rapallo and in 1959 after a visit to Spain devoted a series of paintings to bullfighting 3 He was a member of the artists group that founded the Galleria del Deposito in Boccadasse Genoa Other members were Eugenio Carmi Emanuele Luzzati Carlo Vita etc A collector of old illustrated magazines he used this material to create in his Rapallo home and studio paintings and portraits which typically include period pieces and advertisements He often depicted scenes in Genoa squares shops buildings boats contrasting the old and the new Philip Levine s poem On a Drawing by Flavio describes Costantini s stark portrait of the Rabbi of Auschwitz who bows his head and prays for us all Costantini died in Genoa after a short illness A memorial meeting with talks by friends and critics was held on 12 June 2013 at the Museo Luzzati Genoa which holds a number of his works Inspiration edit He first experimented with illustration after his time spent in the Italian navy doing drawings of Kafka s work His earliest ventures into art were motivated more by intellectual frustration than by artistic masters I started to draw because I read the Kafka books it was impossible to write like Kafka so I began to draw Other writers followed but it was the human condition as portrayed by Kafka that was to remain the dominant influence in Costantini s world 4 But it wasn t until the 1960s when he read Victor Serge s Memoires of a Revolutionary that he began to champion anarchism through his works Novels illustrated editThe Pony by Vladimir Mayakovsky 1969 reprint 2006 5 Heart by Edmondo De Amicis 1977 6 The Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad 1989 7 Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky 1997 8 See also editAnarchist artReferences edit E morto Flavio Costantini il ricordo di Tonino Conte in Italian Genova mentelocale it 2007 07 16 Retrieved 2013 06 02 Farina Roberto Flavio Constantini An Experienced Anarchist Retrieved 23 May 2013 Costantini ed Francesca Danovaro and Matteo Fochessati Genoa Nugae 2010 1 Archived 2013 08 12 at the Wayback Machine Obituary FLAVIO COSTANTINI Rome 21 September 1926 Rapallo 20 May 2013 Christie Books 21 May 2013 Site accessed 1 June 2013 Mayakovsky Vladimir The Horse of Fire Emme Edizioni 1969 Nugae Milan Genoa 2006 De Amicis Edmondo Heart Olivetti Milan 1977 Conrad Joseph The Shadow Line Nuages Milan 1989 Dostoyevsky Fyodor Notes from Underground Nuages Milan 1997 External links editGallery at the Kate Sharpley Library Christy Books Anarchist Publisher Archived 2013 08 12 at the Wayback Machine Filmed interview on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Flavio Costantini amp oldid 1123468126, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
