Alberto Magnelli facts for kids

Alberto Magnelli (born July 1, 1888 – died April 20, 1971) was an important Italian painter. He was known for his modern art, especially after World War II. He played a big role in a style called Concrete art.

Alberto Magnelli's Life

Alberto Magnelli was born in Florence, Italy, on July 1, 1888. He started painting in 1907. Even without going to art school, he became well-known quickly. By 1909, his art was shown at the famous Venice Biennale.

At first, Magnelli painted in a style called Fauvism. This style used bright, bold colors. He joined a group of new, experimental artists in Florence. He became friends with artists like Ardengo Soffici and Gino Severini.

Magnelli also visited Paris, France. There, he met famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Fernand Léger. These artists were part of the Cubism movement. By 1915, Magnelli started painting in an abstract style. This meant his art used shapes and colors instead of showing real objects. His work at this time mixed ideas from Cubism and futurism.

Later, Magnelli went back to painting things that looked real. He moved away from the Italian art groups. These groups were starting to support Fascism, which Magnelli did not agree with. By 1931, he returned to abstract art. This time, he focused on Concrete art. This style used clear geometric shapes and layers of color.

He moved to Paris and joined a group called Abstraction-Création. He became friends with other famous abstract artists like Wassily Kandinsky and Jean Arp. When the Nazis invaded France, Magnelli and his future wife, Susi Gerson, had to hide. They stayed in a town called Grasse with other artists. Even while hiding, they worked together to create art.

After World War II, Magnelli returned to Paris. This city became his home for the rest of his life. He became a very important artist in the Concrete art movement after the war. He influenced other artists like Victor Vasarely. His art was shown again at the Venice Biennale, where he had a whole room for his paintings. Many big art galleries held special shows of his work.

Alberto Magnelli passed away on April 20, 1971, in Meudon, near Paris.

Important Art Shows

• 1909: Venice Biennale – One of his first big shows.
• 1921: Galleria Materassi, Florence – His very first show just for his own art.
• 1934: Galerie Pierre, Paris – His first major art show in Paris.
• 1937: Nierendorf Gallery, New York – His first solo show in the USA.
• 1950: Venice Biennale – He had a whole room dedicated to his art.
• 1951: São Paulo Biennial – He won second prize for his work.
• 1954: Palace of Fine Arts, Brussels – His first full retrospective show. This means it showed art from his whole career.
• 1963: Kunsthaus, Zürich – A big show celebrating his 75th birthday.
• 1968: Museum of Modern Art, Paris – Another important show of his art.

See also

In Spanish: Alberto Magnelli para niños