Lithograph depicting a Venetian navy created by Virgilio Guidi in the 1970s

Ø 83 cm h 65 cm

Virgilio Guidi (Rome, 4 April 1891 – Venice, 7 January 1984) was an Italian painter, poet and essayist. He is considered one of the most important Italian painters of the 20th century.

Guidi was born in Rome, into a family of artists. His father was a sculptor and poet and his grandfather was an architect and decorator. Guidi showed an early aptitude for art and at the age of 13 began studying painting at the Free School of Painting. In 1907 he left school to become an apprentice to the restorer and decorator G. Capranesi.

Guidi's early works were influenced by the metaphysical painting movement and he exhibited his paintings at secessionist exhibitions in Rome. In the 1920s he began to develop his own personal style, characterized by clear and precise realism. He painted scenes of daily life in Rome and Venice, often with a sense of melancholy and alienation.

Guidi's most famous painting is Tram (1924), which depicts a tram crossing a deserted street in Rome. The painting is a powerful evocation of the city's modernity and alienation. Guidi also painted numerous portraits, including those of intellectuals and artists such as Carlo Carrà, Giorgio de Chirico and Giuseppe Ungaretti.

In the 1930s and 1940s Guidi's work became increasingly abstract. He experimented with various techniques, including tempera, watercolor and fresco. He also wrote poems and essays on art.

Guidi continued to paint until his death in Venice in 1984. He is considered one of the most important Italian painters of the 20th century. His work is characterized by realism, a sense of melancholy and alienation, and an exploration of the modern condition.