Walter Piacesi biography

Walter Piacesi, born in Ascoli Piceno in 1929, was a versatile painter, engraver, sculptor and Italian ceramist. After spending a long period in Ancona, in 1948 he moved to Urbino to attend the State Institute of Art for book decoration, where he later became the chair of Chalcography until 1975. That year, he was called to the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence to teach Engraving Techniques.
Walter Piacesi created over two hundred plates and etchings, illustrating numerous literary works and exhibiting in renowned Italian art galleries. Among the galleries with which he collaborated steadily for decades are Ghelfi in Verona and the Galleria Piero Della Francesca in Arezzo.
His fame as an excellent engraver has never overshadowed his intense and qualitative painting activity, characterized by a biting and sarcastic style. The artist loves to represent modern life in all its facets, from man to things, conveying both the positive and problematic sides of human existence. His subjects range from landscapes to urban outskirts, from animals to men, from things to moments of social discomfort. His artworks tell stories and events with an unmistakable style, permeated by subtle humor.
The woman is a dominant theme in his artistic production, represented in her explosive femininity without ever descending into vulgarity, often exalted and described as a multifaceted being, capable of arousing contrasting emotions.
His artwork received acclaim from both critics and writers and poets, who appreciated his ability to capture the essence of humanity and nature. Despite success and fame, Walter Piacesi always remained a humble and open artist, maintaining strong ties with his hometown and Urbino. His artistic sensitivity is characterized by a gaze full of humanity and tenderness, allowing him to represent the painful aspects of life with a smile behind the mask of pain. His style, line, and tone are unique and recognizable, belonging to the School of Urbino, of which he is part along with other great artists such as Paolo Sanchini, Umberto Franci and Marcello Lani.
His artistic career is rich with participation in important exhibitions and shows both in Italy and abroad. Despite the numerous awards and recognitions obtained throughout his career, Walter Piacesi always remained faithful to his passion for art and continued to create with vitality, imagination, and disenchantment.
After over 60 years of extraordinarily prolific artistic activity, Walter Piacesi passed away in 2023 at Cà Spinello di Fermignano, in the countryside near Urbino, where he lived and worked permanently. His artwork will remain as a testimony of great talent and a suffering humanity expressed through art.