Antonino Romanov del Renzio dei Rossi di Castellone e Venosa (Toni del Renzio) (15 April 1915 – 7 January 2007), an artist and writer of Italian and Russian parentage, was leader of the British Surrealist Group for a period.
He brought to the British School a wide range of contacts, editorial organization, motivation and philosophy at a time of wartime hiatus. He was born at Tsarskoe Selo, and at the time of the Russian Revolution his family fled to Yalta and then Italy. He explained his desertion from Benito Mussolini's Tripolitan cavalry by the observation that Abyssinians castrated their prisoners. As his flight through north Africa resulted in his arrival in Spain just in time to join the Trotskyite faction in the first year of the Spanish civil war other reasons may have existed. He noted in later life that the external supporters of the Republican cause had no motivation to arm or supply this faction and indeed was in fear for his life from both Stalinist and Fascist agents by the time he fled to France about a year later.
Surrealism
In 1938 in Paris, he met Pablo Picasso and André Masson and associated with Benjamin Péret. Arriving in Britain just before the Second World War, he was on the fringes of the Surrealist group and had a brief affair with Emmy Bridgwater. His key work Arson: An ardent review, Part One of a Surrealist Manifestation in 1942 was partially financed by Ithell Colquhoun, whom he married in 1943 and divorced in 1948. Also in 1942 he mounted a London exhibition entitled Surrealism, resulting in more general recognition. Toni del Renzio remained an active pamphleteer until just before his death. He was actively pamphleted against himself by other British surrealists such as E. L. T. Mesens and Conroy Maddox during the time the British movement again found direction with the definitive split with him in 1946.
Renzio worked as a journalist, art and film director, actor and lecturer, continuing his collage and painting until shortly before he died at Margate, Kent, England. He was survived by his wife, Doris, and their two daughters and two sons.
"He may have been hated, betrayed and ridiculed, but he certainly was not and could not be ignored."
The del Renzio Affair: A leadership struggle in wartime surrealism – Silvano Levy, 2005
Obituary in The Independent – 12 January 2007 – by Silvano Levy
in The Times
Obituary in The Guardian – 18 January 2007 – by Roger Cardinal
Obituary in The Yorkshire Post – 20 January 2007
February 25, 2023
toni, renzio, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, february, 2014, learn, when, r. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Antonino Romanov del Renzio dei Rossi di Castellone e Venosa Toni del Renzio 15 April 1915 7 January 2007 an artist and writer of Italian and Russian parentage was leader of the British Surrealist Group for a period He brought to the British School a wide range of contacts editorial organization motivation and philosophy at a time of wartime hiatus He was born at Tsarskoe Selo and at the time of the Russian Revolution his family fled to Yalta and then Italy He explained his desertion from Benito Mussolini s Tripolitan cavalry by the observation that Abyssinians castrated their prisoners As his flight through north Africa resulted in his arrival in Spain just in time to join the Trotskyite faction in the first year of the Spanish civil war other reasons may have existed He noted in later life that the external supporters of the Republican cause had no motivation to arm or supply this faction and indeed was in fear for his life from both Stalinist and Fascist agents by the time he fled to France about a year later Surrealism EditIn 1938 in Paris he met Pablo Picasso and Andre Masson and associated with Benjamin Peret Arriving in Britain just before the Second World War he was on the fringes of the Surrealist group and had a brief affair with Emmy Bridgwater His key work Arson An ardent review Part One of a Surrealist Manifestation in 1942 was partially financed by Ithell Colquhoun whom he married in 1943 and divorced in 1948 Also in 1942 he mounted a London exhibition entitled Surrealism resulting in more general recognition Toni del Renzio remained an active pamphleteer until just before his death He was actively pamphleted against himself by other British surrealists such as E L T Mesens and Conroy Maddox during the time the British movement again found direction with the definitive split with him in 1946 Renzio was involved in the Independent Group in the 1950s and contributed to the 1956 seminal art exhibition This Is Tomorrow Renzio worked as a journalist art and film director actor and lecturer continuing his collage and painting until shortly before he died at Margate Kent England He was survived by his wife Doris and their two daughters and two sons He may have been hated betrayed and ridiculed but he certainly was not and could not be ignored Silvano LevyExternal links EditThe del Renzio Affair A leadership struggle in wartime surrealism Silvano Levy 2005 Obituary in The Independent 12 January 2007 by Silvano Levy Obituary in The Times Obituary in The Guardian 18 January 2007 by Roger Cardinal Obituary in The Yorkshire Post 20 January 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Toni del Renzio amp oldid 1072193174, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
