Oil on Canvas Painting “Romantic Garden” by Franco Rognoni from 1977

Oil painting on canvas entitled 'Romantic Garden', created by Franco Rognoni in 1977

Ø 64 cm, height 75 cm including the frame

Franco Rognoni (Milan, September 20, 1913 – Milan, March 11, 1999) was an Italian painter and illustrator. After attending the Technical Schools of Weaving and the Higher School of Applied Art at Sforza Castle, he devoted himself to drawing and painting. As early as 1934, he worked as an illustrator for major magazines and newspapers, and in 1938 he exhibited as a painter for the first time.
Critics have often highlighted influences from artists such as Grosz, Chagall, and Ernst in his works. His style has been described as possessing the “skill and cunning of an old goldsmith.”
In the 1960s, his artistic research focused on the human figure and depictions of cities, later evolving toward themes related to dance and music, in an effort to express vitality through color.

Rognoni used various techniques, including painting and graphic art. Alongside painting, he continued his intense work as an illustrator for the press and publishing industry, collaborating with major publishers and illustrating works by authors such as Leonardo Sciascia. He also created satirical drawings for Avanti!.

He exhibited frequently in Italy and abroad, also taking part in the Venice Biennale and the Rome Quadriennale. In 1983, he was appointed a corresponding member of the Accademia nazionale di San Luca.
In the 1990s, his painting shifted toward more intense colors, influenced by Symbolism and Central European Expressionism.
Franco Rognoni died in Milan in 1999. His works continue to be displayed in posthumous exhibitions and remain present on the art market.