Renato Guttuso was a renowned Italian painter, born on December 26, 1911, in Bagheria and passed away on January 18, 1987, in Rome. From a young age, he showed a great aptitude for painting, influenced by his father, Gioacchino, a surveyor and amateur watercolorist, as well as by frequenting the studio of the painter Domenico Quattrociocchi and the workshop of the cart painter Emilio Murdolo. From the age of thirteen, he began to sign and date his paintings, mainly creating copies of works by 19th-century Sicilian and French painters like Millet, but also original paintings, including portraits."
During his adolescence, Renato Guttuso frequents the studio of the futurist painter Pippo Rizzo and the artistic circles of Palermo. In 1928, at only seventeen years old, he participates in his first group exhibition in Palermo. His art is linked to expressionism and is characterized by a strong social commitment, which later leads him to political experience as a senator of the Italian Communist Party for two terms, during the leadership of Enrico Berlinguer.
Throughout his career, the painter explores various European figurative movements, including expressionism, social realism, and neorealism. Sicilian motifs, such as lemon groves and Saracen olive trees, become increasingly present in his works.
In 1935, he moved to Milan for military service and here he came into contact with prominent artists such as Giacomo Manzù, Renato Birolli, Lucio Fontana, and Antonio Banfi. However, it was in Rome that Renato Guttuso found his most significant artistic and political dimension. In 1937, he moved permanently to the capital and became part of the anti-novecentist Roman artistic environment, forming friendships with important figures such as Mario Mafai, Antonietta Raphaël, Marino Mazzacurati, and Corrado Cagli.
It is during this period that the artistic movement Corrente is formed, which he joins. In the following years, Renato Guttuso continues to paint and exhibit his works in various national and international exhibitions. In 1940, he paints The Crucifixion, a painting that brings him great fame but also provokes controversy due to its political content.
During the Second World War, he continued to work, painting still lifes, landscapes, and creating a series of drawings titled Massacres, which denounced the Nazi repressions. In the 1950s, Renato Guttuso delved deeper into social themes in his painting, portraying peasants, workers, and demonstrations for the occupation of uncultivated lands. In 1956, he painted Carts in Bagheria and The Beach, works that represent the pinnacle of his social realism.
Renato Guttuso also participates in various national and international exhibitions, receiving recognition and awards for his artistic production. In addition to his artistic career, he is actively involved in political life as a member of the Italian Communist Party. He is elected to the Senate of the Republic in 1976 and confirmed in the subsequent elections in 1979. During his lifetime, he donates numerous works to his hometown, Bagheria, which are preserved in the museum of Villa Cattolica.
Renato Guttuso is considered one of the most important Italian painters of the 20th century. His art, characterized by an expressionist style and a strong social commitment, has left a lasting mark on the Italian and international art scene. His works are exhibited in numerous museums and private collections around the world, testifying to his artistic greatness and his contribution to the history of art.

Expressionism
Renato Guttuso
Renato Guttuso Painter

