Vittorio Sgarbi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vittorio Sgarbi
Sgarbi in 2022
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office 23 March 2018 – 13 October 2022
Constituency	Emilia-Romagna 2
In office 23 April 1992 – 27 April 2006
Constituency	Cagliari (1992–1994) Calabria (1994–2001) Veneto 1 (2001–2006)
Member of the European Parliament
In office 20 July 1999 – 11 June 2001
Constituency	North-East Italy
Municipal offices Mayor of Arpino Incumbent Assumed office 15 May 2023 Preceded by Renato Rea Mayor of Sutri In office 11 June 2018 – 15 May 2023 Preceded by Guido Cianti Succeeded by Matteo Amori Mayor of Salemi In office 30 June 2008 – 15 February 2012 Preceded by Biagio Mastrantoni Succeeded by Domenico Venuti Mayor of San Severino Marche In office 9 December 1992 – 24 December 1993 Preceded by Alduino Pelagalli Succeeded by Manlio Rossi
Personal details
Born	Vittorio Umberto Antonio Maria Sgarbi (1952-05-08) 8 May 1952 (age 73) Ferrara, Italy
Political party	Renaissance (since 2017)
Other political affiliations	See list
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Profession	Art critic Academic Writer
Signature

Vittorio Umberto Antonio Maria Sgarbi (born 8 May 1952) is a well-known Italian art critic, writer, and politician. He is also a cultural commentator and a familiar face on television. Sgarbi leads the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto. He was chosen to be the curator for the Italian art section at the 2011 Venice Biennale, a big art event. He also writes for newspapers and magazines, sharing his thoughts on art. Sgarbi is known for his strong opinions and direct way of speaking.

He has been a member of the Italian Parliament many times. Sgarbi is especially famous for serving as mayor in several Italian cities, including San Severino Marche, Salemi, Sutri, and Arpino. He has also changed political parties many times, starting with the Italian Socialist Party and later joining Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia. In 2017, he even started his own party called Renaissance. In 2022, he became an undersecretary for culture in the Italian government.

Early Life and Education

Vittorio Sgarbi was born in Ferrara, Italy, in 1952. His parents, Giuseppe and Rina, were pharmacists. He has a younger sister, Elisabetta Sgarbi, who is a film producer and writer. Vittorio grew up in Ro Ferrarese and went to a classical high school.

He later studied Philosophy at the University of Bologna, where he also became an expert in Art History. After finishing his studies, Sgarbi taught about the history of photography and artistic techniques before starting his political career in 1992.

Career Highlights

Sgarbi is known for being a lively and sometimes controversial person. His career has mostly focused on art, but he has also taken on many different roles. He has written many books and articles. Sgarbi first appeared on national television as an art expert on the Maurizio Costanzo Show.

In the 1990s, he had his own TV show called Sgarbi quotidiani. This show talked about daily news. He used his show to share his strong views on various topics.

Political Roles and Views

In 1992, Sgarbi became the mayor of San Severino Marche and a member of the Chamber of Deputies. He joined Forza Italia in 1994. As a politician, he worked on parliamentary activities and was even elected to the European Parliament in 1999. From 2001 to 2002, he served as the undersecretary for cultural heritage.

Sgarbi in 2012

In 2006, Sgarbi took on the role of culture department head for the city of Milan. He later became mayor of Salemi, a city in Sicily, in 2008. While mayor of Salemi, he suggested selling historic houses for just €1 to help repopulate the city after an earthquake. He resigned from this position in 2012.

Sgarbi also worked as a curator for many art events, including the 2011 Venice Biennale. In 2018, he was re-elected to Parliament and became mayor of Sutri. He was critical of how the Italian government handled the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. In 2022, he was appointed undersecretary for culture. In 2023, he was elected mayor of Arpino. He resigned from his undersecretary role in 2024 due to investigations related to his public appearances.

Political Party Affiliations

Sgarbi in 2019

Vittorio Sgarbi is well known for changing political parties many times. He has been part of various groups, from the Italian Socialist Party to Forza Italia. He even founded his own parties, like The Liberals Sgarbi and Renaissance. This shows his changing political journey over the years.

Political and Religious Views

Sgarbi is generally seen as a liberal politician within the centre-right. He believes in ideas like liberal conservatism and economic liberalism. He has often called himself "liberal" and "libertarian."

In 2017, Sgarbi said that culture should replace ideology in politics. He believes in preserving beauty and art, especially in city planning. He thinks we should look back to the Renaissance period, when artists were encouraged to create "beautiful things."

Sgarbi in 2007

Sgarbi has complex views on religion. He often says he is Catholic and believes in the importance of Catholicism for Italian culture. However, he has also sometimes called himself an atheist. In 2019, he stated that art is proof of God's existence, saying that artists add beauty to the world and continue creation. He believes that through art, humans can become "eternal."

Art Collections

Sgarbi is a passionate collector of old books. He owns a huge library with 280,000 books, including some very old and rare ones. He also collects paintings and sculptures, often with help from his family. His collection, called the Cavallini–Sgarbi Collection, has over 500 artworks.

In recent years, Sgarbi has faced investigations regarding the ownership of some artworks. He has denied these claims.

Personal Life

Sgarbi at the 2020 Venice Festival

Vittorio Sgarbi has never married but has three recognized children. He has two daughters and one son.

He retired from teaching due to age limits in 2019. He had taught at the University of Udine and was appointed a professor at the Kore University of Enna, though he did not serve there due to age limits. In 2021, Sgarbi shared that he had recovered from cancer. He also tested positive for COVID-19 in 2021 and 2022.

In 1996, he faced legal issues related to his work attendance while employed by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage. He was given a suspended sentence. In 2016, a court allowed him to return to service in the Superintendence of Venice.

Sgarbi is also a fan of association football. He supports the team SPAL from his hometown of Ferrara and also likes Juventus. He often comments on football figures.

Television and Cinema

Sgarbi has appeared on many TV shows as a commentator. He was a regular on the Maurizio Costanzo Show and Telemike. He also hosted his own show, Sgarbi quotidiani, which won an award in 2000.

He has made cameo appearances in a few films:

• Paparazzi (1998)
• Burning Love (2015)
• The Blue Kiss (2015)

Images for kids

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  Sgarbi in 1992

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  Stencil in Turin referencing Sgarbi's response to Aldo Busi during a television debate

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  Sgarbi at a pro-American demonstration in 2001

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  Sgarbi during a lecture in July 2020