Renzo Fenci

Italian-American artist and educator (1914–1999) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Renzo G. Fenci (18 November 1914 – 11 December 1999) was an Italian-American artist and arts educator, best known for his bronze sculpture. He worked in 1942 as a New Deal artist with the United States Treasury Department's Section of Painting and Sculpture.

Quick Facts Born, Died ...
Renzo Fenci
Born(1914-11-18)November 18, 1914
Florence, Italy
DiedDecember 31, 1999(1999-12-31) (aged 85)
Alma materRoyal Institute of Art,
Instituto d'Arte Firenze
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Biography

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Fenci was born in Florence, Italy, on 18 November 1914.[1] At a young age, he went to study art at the Royal Institute of Art.[1] He received a master's degree in 1932 from Instituto d'Arte Firenze (Art Institute of Florence) and studied with sculptors Libero Andriotti and Bruno Innocenti.[2][3]

He emigrated to New York City around 1937 or 1938, due to the change in politics in Europe and the rise of fascism.[1][4] Fenci lived in New York City, New York and Madison, Wisconsin, before settling down in Pullman, Washington, in order to teach fine art at Washington State College.[1]

He was commissioned in 1942 by the United States Treasury Department's Section of Painting and Sculpture (later known as The Section of Fine Arts) to create art.[5] These commissions were for the creation of a series of terra-cotta bas reliefs for a post office in Easley, South Carolina, entitled “Cultivation of Corn”.[5] Originally he planned to create six bas-relief panels, but the Section would only pay for three panels and there was much difficulty in the completion of the commission.[5]

Fenci moved to Santa Barbara, California. From 1947 to 1954, he taught at Santa Barbara College (now called University of California, Santa Barbara).[2][6] From 1955 until 1977, he was the head of the sculpture department at Otis Art Institute (now named Otis College of Art and Design).[7]

Fenci has worked in the many public art museum collections including at the Uffizi museum,[8] and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.[9]

Fenci died at the age of 85 in Los Angeles, California, on 11 December 1999.[1]

Personal life

He was married to Jeanne Lyons Foster in Santa Barbara.[7] Fenci had one son and two stepdaughters, his son is also a sculptor.[4][6]

See also

References

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