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Gianni BenvenutiPolynesian Dance at Sunset Watercolor Mixed Media Artwork, 21.25x13"1965
1965
$12,500
£9,496.91
€10,913.95
CA$17,557.78
A$19,111.20
CHF 10,126.34
MX$229,841.15
NOK 128,753.87
SEK 117,988.68
DKK 81,526.53
About the Item
A group of sexy Polynesian male and female dancers is depicted with expressive and sensual body gestures. The rhythmic fluidity of each dancer is transferred to their partners, uniting into a pulsating whole. The dancer's facial expressions engage and enhance the painting's seductive feel, while communicating the exotic energy of the Pacific Islands. Italian Illustrator Gianni Benvenuti sets the scene in moonlight, with moody lighting, to convey the emotional drama and connection to inner wisdom/spirits, gods, and ancestral figures from their Polynesian homeland. Most remarkable is Benvenuti's mastery of the human figure as if he were one of Michelangelo's apprentices in the fabled Italian tradition of figure painting.
The artwork was created on assignment for the book Polynesian Legends.
Unframed, Unsigned
Giovanni "Gianni" Benvenuti (26 June 1926 – 15 September 2005),commonly known as Benvenuti,[A] was an Italian artist whose career spanned multiple decades and diverse art forms, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, illustration, and cartooning.His work earned recognition across Europe and the United States.[5] He is best known for his work as an illustrator of children's books, having illustrated classics such as Grimm's Fairy Tales, Winnie the Pooh, and Mother Goose.
Life and career
Benvenuti illustration from Le Mille e una Notte
Giovanni Benvenuti was born on 26 June 1926 in Pisa, Italy,to Lida (née Pistelli) and Francesco Benvenuti. During World War II, his family relocated to Milan, where he completed his studies at the Vittorio Veneto Scientific Lyceum. He later attended the University of Milan, where he studied architecture,a discipline that would influence his work in the visual arts.
Benvenuti began his career as cartoonist for the Italian publishing house Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, with an adaptation of L'Ultimo dei Mohicani for in their comic Topolino.He continued working for Mondadori, illustrating Gli Albi d'Oro (Golden Books) short stories.By the 1950s, Benvenuti gained prominence as an illustrator of children's books.He illustrated over fifty books.His works included The Bible, Winnie the Pooh, Don Quixote, Grimms' Fairy Tales, and Mother Goose. These works were translated into numerous languages.Benvenuti was featured in the Italian National Catalogue of Sculpture, the History of Italian Art in the 1900s, and the Illustrations and Cartoonists of the 1950s.
In 1975, Benvenuti moved to Pietrasanta,a town known for its tradition in marble and bronze sculpting.There, he shifted his focus to sculpture, a medium that defined much of his later work. He played a role in founding Scultori e Artigiani in un Centro Storico, an annual sculpture exhibition in Pietrasanta, which showcased works from Europe's sculptors. Benvenuti continued to direct this exhibition until 1980.
In 1980, Benvenuti moved to the United States,where he married artist Elfie Harris.In 1981, they established Harris Benvenuti Inc., a design studio and gallery in Philadelphia.The studio, located in a converted American Legion building, became a center for the couple's artistic endeavors. During his years in the United States, his work centered around sculpture, painting, and design projects. Benvenuti's artistic style evolved throughout his career. His early works were more monochromatic and figurative, while his later pieces were more colorful and abstract. Similarly, his sculptures, which initially "were jagged with aggressive lines", became more simplified and abstract over time.
Benvenuti died from stomach cancer on 15 September 2005at his home in Philadelphia. He was survived by his wife, Elfie Harris.
Legacy
Benvenuti is recognized as a significant figure in 20th-century Italian art. His work, encompassing painting, sculpture, printmaking, illustration, and cartooning, has been exhibited in major galleries across Italy, France, and the United States. His pieces are held in private collections and museums, including the Museum of Modern Italian Art in Milan.Following his death in 2005, Benvenuti's wife, Elfie Harris, initiated plans to establish a museum in their former studio in Germantown, Philadelphia, to honor his work
Selected Children's Books
Goulden, Shirley (1950). Tales from the Arabian Nights. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Grosset
Dunlap
King, Léon (1959). The Enchanted Princess and Other Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press.
Andersen, Hans Christian (1959). The Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale Book. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press.
Milan, Fabbri (1960). Japanese Fairy Tales A Giant Golden Book. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press
Pyle, Howard (1962). The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press.
Dalmais, Anne-Marie (1972). 101 Animal Stories, A Golden Book. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press
Dalmais, Anne-Marie (1972). Mr. Porcupine's Marvelous Flying Machine (A Golden Book). Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press
Ponsot, Marie (1973). Russian Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press.
Carruth, Jane (1977). The Golden Book of Grimms Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press
Rhymes from Mother Goose. New York: Illustrated by Benvenuti. Knopf. 1980
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gianni Benvenuti
Born Giovanni Benvenuti
26 June 1926
Pisa, Italy
Died 15 September 2005 (aged 79)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Alma mater Vittorio Veneto Scientific Lyceum
University of Milan (architecture)
Years active 1950s to 2005
Known for painting, sculpture, printmaking, illustration, cartooning
Spouse Elfie Harris
Giovanni "Gianni" Benvenuti (26 June 1926 – 15 September 2005),[1] commonly known as Benvenuti,[A] was an Italian artist[2][3] whose career spanned multiple decades and diverse art forms, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, illustration, and cartooning.[3][4] His work earned recognition across Europe and the United States.[5] He is best known for his work as an illustrator of children's books, having done illustrations for classics such as Grimms' Fairy Tales,[6] Winnie the Pooh,[7] and Mother Goose.[8][3]
Life and career
Benvenuti illustration from Le Mille e una Notte
Giovanni Benvenuti was born on 26 June 1926 in Pisa, Italy,[9] to Lida (née Pistelli) and Francesco Benvenuti.[10] During World War II, his family relocated to Milan, where he completed his studies at the Vittorio Veneto Scientific Lyceum. He later attended the University of Milan, where he studied architecture,[3][5] a discipline that would influence his work in the visual arts.[11]
Benvenuti began his career as cartoonist for the Italian publishing house Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, with an adaptation of L'Ultimo dei Mohicani for in their comic Topolino.[4] He continued working for Mondadori, illustrating Gli Albi d'Oro (Golden Books) short stories.[4] By the 1950s, Benvenuti gained prominence as an illustrator of children's books.[3][11][A] He illustrated over fifty books.[3] His works included The Bible, Winnie the Pooh, Don Quixote, Grimms' Fairy Tales, and Mother Goose.[5][11] These works were translated into numerous languages.[3][12] Benvenuti was featured in the Italian National Catalogue of Sculpture, the History of Italian Art in the 1900s, and the Illustrations and Cartoonists of the 1950s.[5]
In 1975, Benvenuti moved to Pietrasanta,[5] a town known for its tradition in marble and bronze sculpting.[5] There, he shifted his focus to sculpture, a medium that defined much of his later work. He played a role in founding Scultori e Artigiani in un Centro Storico, an annual sculpture exhibition in Pietrasanta, which showcased works from Europe's sculptors. Benvenuti continued to direct this exhibition until 1980.[5]
In 1980, Benvenuti moved to the United States,[5][11] where he married artist Elfie Harris.[13] In 1981, they established Harris Benvenuti Inc., a design studio and gallery in Philadelphia.[5][14] The studio, located in a converted American Legion building, became a center for the couple's artistic endeavors. During his years in the United States, his work centered around sculpture, painting, and design projects.[5][11] Benvenuti's artistic style evolved throughout his career. His early works were more monochromatic and figurative, while his later pieces were more colorful and abstract. Similarly, his sculptures, which initially "were jagged with aggressive lines", became more simplified and abstract over time.[5]
Benvenuti died from stomach cancer on 15 September 2005[1] at his home in Philadelphia.[9] He was survived by his wife, Elfie Harris.[2]
Legacy
Benvenuti is recognized as a significant figure in 20th-century Italian art. His work, encompassing painting, sculpture, printmaking, illustration, and cartooning, has been exhibited in major galleries across Italy, France, and the United States.[5] His pieces are held in private collections and museums, including the Museum of Modern Italian Art in Milan.[5] Following his death in 2005, Benvenuti's wife, Elfie Harris, initiated plans to establish a museum in their former studio in Germantown, Philadelphia, to honor his work.[1][2]
Selected illustrated books
Benvenuti is known for children's book illustrations, including:[A]
Goulden, Shirley (1950). Tales from the Arabian Nights. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Grosset
Dunlap. ASIN B002ESBQMM.
King, Léon (1959). The Enchanted Princess and Other Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ISBN 978-1258520427.
Andersen, Hans Christian (1959). The Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale Book. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ASIN B00118XENK.
Milan, Fabbri (1960). Japanese Fairy Tales A Giant Golden Book. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ASIN B0011809JW.[3]
Pyle, Howard (1962). The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. LCCN 62009848. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
Dalmais, Anne-Marie (1972). 101 Animal Stories, A Golden Book. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ASIN B000TFQJ1K.
Dalmais, Anne-Marie (1972). Mr. Porcupine's Marvelous Flying Machine (A Golden Book). Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ISBN 978-1122705882.
Ponsot, Marie (1973). Russian Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ASIN B000H8AAU0.
Carruth, Jane (1977). The Golden Book of Grimms Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ISBN 0307165434.
Rhymes from Mother Goose. New York: Illustrated by Benvenuti. Knopf. 1980.. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- Creator:Gianni Benvenuti (1926 - 2005, Italian)
- Creation Year:1965
- Dimensions:Height: 13 in (33.02 cm)Width: 21.25 in (53.98 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement Style:
- Period:
- Condition:Overall very good condition, The thin board has a slight bend to it but will straighten when framed.
- Gallery Location:Miami, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU385317431852
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