Annigoni Biography
* Pietro Annigoni born on June 7, 1910 in Milan, Italy.
* As a child he shows early promise in drawing. His father said, “You will become a great artist.”
* 1925 – Family moves to Florence.
* 1927 – Enrolls in the Accademia de Bella Arti.
* Annigoni’s first love was art. In those days he was a “young man mad about drawing.”
* 1932 – First one man show of paintings and drawings at the Palazzo Ferroni, Florence
* 1934 – Sold out show in Galleria Botti – portraits of prominent Florentines.
* 1937 – Starts first major fresco – Convent of San Marco, Florence – “Descent from the Cross” and “Death of Abel.”
* Travels extensively throughout Italy and Europe.
* 1945 – Commissioned by the British Fine Arts Office to sketch the destruction of Florence.
* 1949 – Exhibits numerous self portraits in London at the Royal Academy where his work causes a stir among artists and art lovers.
* Mid 50’s – Starts commissions from notable society figures: Lord Moran; Juliana Forbes; The Duchess of Devonshire.
* 1956 – Commissioned to paint what became Annigoni’s most famous portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
* Receives an enormous amount of publicity worldwide. The portrait and Annigoni achieve tremendous fame.
* The portrait exploited on commonwealth currency and postage stamps around the world.
* Pietro Annigoni becomes world famous. He travels around the world.
* Paints the rich and famous – Margot Fonteyn; Princess Elena Corsini; Princess Margaret; Prince Philip; The Queen Mother; The Maharanee of Jaipur; John F. Kennedy; Pope John XXIII. etc.
* He uses his new found wealth to pursue his first love frescoes. He paints monumental religious narratives at:
Cathedral of San Antonio in Padua
San Michele Arcangelo in Ponte Buggianese
San Marco in Florence
San Martino in Castagno.
* Annigoni’s work hangs in:
The Vatican, Rome
The Uffizi Gallery, Florence
The Museum of Modern Art, New York
The National Portrait Gallery, London.
* Pietro Annigoni dies in Florence in 1988.
* 1992 Annigoni is given a state funeral and is interned to his final resting place in San Miniato overlooking his beloved Florence.
AWARDS & EVENTS
- Annigoni: Portrait of an Artist won an Award of Merit at the 1996 Chicago International Film Festival in the Arts and Humanities category.
- Annigoni: Portrait of an Artist was awarded The Best Musical Score at the 1996 Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival.
- Annigoni: Portrait of an Artist had its World Premiere on October 23rd 1995, at the historic and largest movie theater in Toronto, The Bloor Cinema. It played to sold out houses during its week long run at the Bloo, and continued to be featured at repertory theaters for 10 years as well as being broadcast internationally.
- The World Television Premiere was on BRAVO! television on March 3rd 1996.
- Italian Theatrical Premiere in Florence Italy, July 1997.
- Broadcast on TVO on the Masterworks series, in rotation from 1997 – 2006.