Self portrait, 1914
Indian ink cm 15 x 16

1892

He was born in Rossiglione in the province of Genoa on 14 February.

 

1899

His family moves to Milan.

 

1907

He obtains the "Technical Schools" diploma and goes to work as a librarian at Hoepli’s. His collegues are C. Branduani and G Scheiwiller.

 

1910

For a short time he attends private lessons with the painter Rapetti and in 1911 then he enrolls at the Fine Arts Academy of Brera in Milan where his professors are Cesare Tallone, Vespasiano Bignami, Mentessi and Confalonieri.

 

1912

He wins the "Brera award" for nudes.

 

1913

He participates in an exhibition at the Permanente in Milan and continues to attend the Brera Academy. In the meantime he meets E.Longoni, A.Wildt and G.Belloni regularly at their studios.

 

1914

He works as an illustrator for magazines connected with "Corriere della Sera”: first with “La lettura" then in 1915 and 1916 on “Il Corriere dei Piccoli” and “Italia Bella”.

 

1916

Together with A. Beltrame, R. Salvadori, Galli, Sacchetti, Bucci and others he illustrates "Qua e là per il mondo" by L.Barzini, for Hoepli. He takes part in an "Ally exhibition" under the pseudonime of Gian Maria Sandri and does some work for the National League of the Honourable Mr. Brentari.

 

1917

He illustrates some plates for "Pluto", a Greek play by Aristotles ( never published ).

 

1918

He goes to Rome where he meets Moggioli, Tito and others.

 

1921

He illustrates "Fanciulli d’Italia" by A.V. Gentile and "Viaggio sentimentale" di L. Sterne for Hoepli.

 

1922

He wins a prize at an illustration exhibition at Palazzo Pitti in Florence. He takes part in the Brera Academy 's National Exhibition at the Permanente in Milan. He does some illustrations for "Il Novellino" and “Il Guerin Meschino” .

 

1923

He is given the work of illustrating an important edition of "Poesie Edite e Inedite" by Carlo Porta, published in 1929 by Hoepli.

 

1924

He goes to Rome , he meets Mentessi and others again . He tries to sign on in the army as an illustrator. However he is admitted to a hospital on Monte Mario, perhaps also for political reasons.

 

1925

He does illustrations "La Novella".

 

1926

He is in Milan "on parole" and manages to successfully arrange a personal show at the Bolognesi Gallery, then he is admitted to hospital again until 1933.

 

1933

Released from hospital he goes to live in Ceriano Laghetto, a village near Milan, where he lives in some modest accomodation supplied by the Local Authority.

 

1934

He is in touch again with Hoepli, with Scheiwiller and Branduani. He meets up regularly with C. Carrà, C. Carpi, L. Bracchi, Simeone, E. Morelli, M. Maserati and others.

 

1936

He takes part in the VII Exhibition at the Permanente of Milan and submits to Hoepli sketches for an edition of a Spanish literature masterpiece, "Lazzarillo de Tormes", which he has been working on for some years but which is never published. These sketches are inedited.

 

1938

He is admitted to Mombello Psychiatric Hospital again. When he is released he presents Hoepli with a series of drawing and sketches, which he has been working on for years, for an edition of "I Promessi Sposi".

 

1939

He produces drawings and sketches, which he has been working on for many years, for an edition of the 13th century "Prayers" of St. Francis. These too remain inedited.

 

1941

He asks Hoepli to publish a book on psychiatric problems “What is Madness” for which he could supply them with his rich somatic collection. He also illustrates children's books for the publishers Ceschina and he prepares some religious drawings for an exhibition, which was never held, at the Angelicum in Milan.

 

1942

He prepares sketches for Trevisani for a children’s book, "Enzeli". This work was never published and is unobtainable today.

 

1953

After being admitted several times to a psychiatric hospital between 1945 and 1953, he is finally admitted for good.

 

1959

He dies alone in the psychiatric hospital on 6th November.