Lucien Joseph Fontanarosa, Nude Study, Oil on Cardboard, 1950s

Lucien Joseph Fontanarosa - Nude study, oil and gouache on cardboard, handsigned in pencil lower right.
In great vintage condition.
50 x 32 cm


Lucien Fontanarosa was born in Paris in December 1912. His youth was spent between Paris and Italy.

At the Ecole Estienne, he met Jacques Ratier, who became his friend and later his dealer. In 1933 and 1934, he exhibited at the Société nationale des Beaux-Arts, obtained a travel grant and went to Spain and Morocco to paint.

In 1937, he joined Annette Faive, also a painter (who later became his wife), at the Villa Medici in Rome for 4 years, and also developed a passion for music.

Today, the world knows his three musician children: Patrice, born in 1942, Frédérique born in 1944, Renaud born in 1945, of whom he made a remarkable zither portrait.

He exhibited in England, the United States, Japan and France, and spent his summers in Provence. He was admitted to the Institut in 1955.

In 1973, the Palais de la Méditerranée in Nice organized a major retrospective of his paintings. His audience was international. In addition to his solo exhibitions, he took part in numerous group shows.

He was awarded the Premier Grand Prix de Rome in 1936 (aged 24), the Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris and the Médaille Vermeille, Grand Prix des Peintres Témoins de leur Temps.

His paintings were acquired by the French State, the M.A.M. and by French cities (Cambrai, Chartres) and foreign ones (Sofia, Nottingham).