Mauro Reggiani biography

Mauro Reggiani was an Italian painter known for his contribution to geometric abstraction. His life and artistic career were marked by a constant desire to explore new expressive forms and chromatic relationships, making him one of the pioneers of abstractionism in Italy. Born in Nonantola, in the province of Modena, in 1897, Mauro Reggiani showed a great interest in art from a young age. He attended the Regio Istituto di Belle Arti in Modena from 1911 to 1919, where he studied figure and painting. However, his artistic training was temporarily interrupted when he was called to arms in 1917. In 1918, he joined the School for Aviator Pilot Trainees in Caserta, but after the end of the war in 1919, he resumed his passion for painting."
In 1920, he opened a studio in Modena and painted a series of portraits. During the same period, he enrolled in the third year of the figure course at the Regio Istituto di Belle Arti in Florence, where he formed friendships with artists such as Marino Marini and Giuseppe Graziosi. These years were characterized by the search for a personal expressive language and an interest in the artists of the Novecento group.
In the 1930s, Mauro Reggiani gradually distanced himself from realistic and academic models and moved towards abstraction, influenced by artists like Cézanne, Kandinsky, and Max Ernst. In 1934, he participated in the first exhibition of Abstract Art in Italy at the Galleria del Milione in Milan, alongside other artists, including Oreste Bogliardi and Virginio Ghiringhelli. This event marked the beginning of his career in geometric abstraction.
In the following decade, the 1940s, Mauro Reggiani continues his artistic exploration, participating in national and international exhibitions. However, the period is also marked by the tragic events of the Second World War, which force him into a hiatus from artistic activity. After the end of the conflict, he returns to Milan and resumes painting.
In the 1950s, Mauro Reggiani joined the Movimento Arte Concreta (MAC), founded in Milan by Gillo Dorfles, Bruno Munari, and Atanasio Soldati. His painting became more dynamic in composition and chromatically vibrant. He participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Italy and abroad, receiving recognition and awards for his contribution to abstract art.
In the 1960s and '70s, Mauro Reggiani's art continued to evolve, exploring new techniques and materials. His solo exhibitions followed one another in various Italian cities, and some retrospectives dedicated to his artwork were organized in major public spaces and art galleries.
In 1980, at the age of 82, Mauro Reggiani died in his home in Milan. After his death, his daughter Virgilia Reggiani Simion collected and archived the material related to her father's artistic activity to create the general catalog of his works, published in 1990 by the critic Luciano Caramel.
Mauro Reggiani was a visionary artist, always in search of new forms of expression and chromatic relationships. His dedication to geometric abstraction made him a significant figure in the history of Italian art and a pioneer of abstract art in the country, alongside other important artists like Alberto Magnelli, Enrico Prampolini, and Atanasio Soldati. His artistic legacy has been celebrated with numerous exhibitions and posthumous recognitions, demonstrating the lasting influence of his work in the Italian art scene.