Duilio Barnabe

Mazzo di fiori (Bouquet)

c. 1958

Through elaborate still lifes, vivid landscape paintings and thought-provoking portraits reduced to bold geometric forms, Italian artist Duilio Barnabé (who often went by Dubè) embraced the Cubist genre with a zeal to match that of his greatest inspiration, Spanish master Pablo Picasso.

Born in Bologna in 1914, Barnabé showed a strong interest in art from an early age. In his youth, he studied under Italian modern artist Giorgio Morandi, developing his skill and trying to find his own unique style.

In 1935, the Italian government drafted Barnabé to military service, where he served a tour in North Africa. He married sculptor Angiola Cassanello in 1938, and served another stint in the military in 1940, after being called to duty once again. Upon his second return from service, Barnabé was finally able to make his art in earnest. He produced works that won the Baruzzi Prize in 1941 and the International Curlandese Prize in 1943.

In 1946, Barnabé moved to Paris, where he created the bulk of his early paintings, in which Picasso's influence strongly shone through. His major artistic debut occurred in 1947, at the exhibition of contemporary Italian art in Switzerland. Many exhibitions and awards followed, including a solo show at the Venice Biennale.

In 1955, he received a gold medal from the Italian government for a series of stained glass windows he had designed. Barnabé worked in many mediums, including furniture, but his primary focus was painting. He produced a large body of work until his death in 1961 in an auto accident in the Swiss Alps. 

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