Osvaldo Louis Guglielmi

Place: Cairo

Born: 1906

Death: 1956

Biography:

Early Life and Career

, an American painter, was born on April 9, 1906, in Cairo, Egypt. His early life was marked by frequent travels with his Italian father, a professional violinist, to Milan and Geneva. In 1914, his parents brought him to the United States, where they settled in Italian Harlem, New York. Guglielmi's interest in sculpture led him to work at a casting factory, and he attended the National Academy of Design from 1920 to 1926.

Artistic Style and Themes

Guglielmi's work is characterized by elements of precisionism, surrealism, geometric abstraction, regionalism, and social realism. His paintings often commented on poverty and social themes, with bleakness and death appearing in his pre-war works. As a prominent exponent of "social surrealism," Guglielmi's art was influenced by the Great Depression and the Federal Art Project, which supported artists during this period.

Notable Works and Exhibitions

* Mental Geography (1938), his first one-man show, warned of the spread of European fascism. * Part of the 1943 "American Realists and Magic Realists" exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. * Featured in the Whitney Museum of American Art and the MoMA.

Legacy and Decline

Guglielmi's decline was attributed to his eclectic style, which borrowed from various artists. After the war, his painting became more planar and abstract, focusing on the "exuberance and organic means of life itself." He passed away on September 3, 1956, in Amagansett, New York.

• View Guglielmi's artwork at Wikioo.org
• Explore the Museum of Modern Art's collection, featuring Guglielmi's works: MoMA
• Learn more about Guglielmi's life and art at Wikipedia