Ernesto Treccani biography

Ernesto Treccani, born on August 26, 1920, in Milan, was an Italian painter whose artistic career and civic commitment were deeply intertwined. Son of Senator Giovanni Treccani degli Alfieri, founder of the Istituto Treccani, he grew up in a rich cultural environment and soon emerged on the Italian artistic and political scene. From a young age, Ernesto Treccani showed a strong inclination towards art and social change. He came into contact with avant-garde and anti-fascist artistic circles, becoming one of the founders of the Corrente group in 1938. This group brought together artists engaged in various artistic directions but united in the political fight against fascism. In 1940, he exhibited his first works at the Bottega di Corrente alongside other artists such as Birolli, Guttuso, and Migneco.
World War II led to the closure of the Corrente magazine, but Ernesto Treccani continued to fight for the values he believed in. He actively participated in the Resistance and, after the war, continued his political and civic commitment through his art. His painting became a tool to express his ideas and emotions, and his chromatic expressiveness became a distinctive feature of his work.
One of the most significant periods in Ernesto Treccani's career was the 1950s, when the themes of his painting evolved. Personal experiences and observations of the contrasts between the rural reality of the South and the industrial urban landscape of Milan and Paris deeply inspired him. This duality is reflected in his works, where chromatic nuances and bold use of color communicate both the beauty and difficulties of life.
However, his painting was not limited to the canvas. In 1978, he founded the Fondazione Corrente in Milan, a cultural center dedicated to promoting culture and art, as well as collecting and studying documents related to the period between the birth of the Corrente movement and the years of Realism. This commitment testifies to his vision of art as intrinsically linked to society and cultural debate.
Ernesto Treccani's poetics are also evident in his poetic works, where the bond between word and image merges into an uninterrupted dialogue. His poems show a deep interest in man and his role in contemporary imagination, reflecting his commitment to participating in protest movements and social renewal.
His artistic research evolved over the years, ranging from realism to intimate lyricism and, at times, to the threshold of abstraction. Besides painting, he experimented with sculpture and produced works influenced by literary works such as Cervantes' Don Quixote and Boccaccio's Decameron. His relentless search for artistic expression took him to various places, but he always maintained a connection with places like Paris, Macugnaga, and Forte dei Marmi, which fueled his creativity.
Ernesto Treccani died in Milan on November 27, 2009, but his artistic and social legacy continues to influence subsequent generations. His art was a testimony of human and social commitment, a way to communicate the beauty and challenges of the world through vibrant use of color and intensity of expression. His works remain a call to the importance of connecting art with life and using art as a means to express emotions, ideas, and change.