Antonio Possenti biography

Antonio Possenti was a renowned Italian painter and illustrator, born in Lucca in 1933. From his youth, Antonio Possenti showed notable artistic talent in drawing and an interest in fairy tales, which he maintained throughout his career. After completing his classical studies, he dedicated himself to self-taught, delving into drawing and illustration. His formative influences are many and varied, thanks to his intellectual curiosity and the rich literary and artistic culture that he has absorbed since childhood thanks to his family. His training ranges from Greco-Roman classicism to modern and contemporary art, with a particular predilection for fantastic and engaging experiences.
Antonio Possenti travels a lot, coming into contact with different cultures and personalities, but always returns to Lucca, a city he loves deeply and in which he establishes his studio in the heart of Piazza dell'Anfiteatro. This magical place, which collects like an immense suitcase the testimonies of his experiences in the world, becomes the source of inspiration for many of his works.
During his career, Antonio Possenti exhibited in important Italian and foreign galleries, including Gianferrari, Il Milione, Appiani Arte 32 in Milan, Marescalchi and Forni in Bologna, Davico and Biasutti in Turin, the Traghetto in Venice, Poggiali and Forconi in Florence, The image in Arezzo, Aminta in Siena, Philippe Guimiot in Brussels, Rutzmoser in Munich, East West Gallery in London and Art Diagonal in Barcelona, ​​just to name a few.
It also takes part in numerous international artistic events, such as the Bologna Art Fair, Cologne, Milan, Art Basel in Basel, F.I.A.C. in Paris, Art Fair in Los Angeles, Art Miami in Miami Beach, New York International Art Fair, Tuyap in Istanbul, Foire d'art in Ghent, Arco in Madrid, Stockholm, St'Art in Strasbourg and BART in Barcelona.The works of Antonio Possenti are present in important private and public collections in Italy and abroad, testifying to the appreciation and relevance of his artistic talent. Critics, art historians, writers and intellectuals have written about him, recognizing his significant contribution to the artistic field. Antonio Possenti was a member of the Academy of Letters, Sciences and Arts of Lucca and of the Academy of Art of Drawing of Florence. He has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career, consolidating his position as one of the most important contemporary Italian artists. Antonio Possenti leaves us in the summer of 2016 after a long illness. His artistic legacy, characterized by an original, open and poetic language, continues to be appreciated and studied, keeping his memory alive in the panorama of contemporary art.