Background
Gnoli was born in Rome, Italy, on May 3, 1933, into a family connected with art. His father, Umberto Gnoli, was the art historian while his mother was a painter and ceramist.
1969
Domenico Gnoli and Yannick Vu in December 1969.
1969
Domenico Gnoli and Yannick Vu in December 1969.
1969
Domenico Gnoli and Yannick Vu in December 1969.
Via di Ripetta, 222, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
For a short time in 1952 Gnoli studied stage design at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma.
Domenico Gnoli in his studio.
Domenico Gnoli.
Gnoli Domenico with his work
Gnoli was born in Rome, Italy, on May 3, 1933, into a family connected with art. His father, Umberto Gnoli, was the art historian while his mother was a painter and ceramist.
Domenico Gnoli received his primary education at home. Later he studied under the guidance of Carlo Alberto Petrucci, who around 1950 encouraged the young artist to exhibit a series of drawings at Rome’s Galleria La Cassapanda. For a short time in 1952 he studied stage design at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma. However, he abandoned it to become an actor working with the Compagnia Pilotto-Carraro Miserocchi.
Gnoli's connection with the world of the theatre was crucial to his success in designing the sets for numerous theatre productions, including Shakespeare’s As You Like It. It was directed by Robert Helpmann and performed at the Old Vic Theatre in London in 1955.
In 1956 Domenico Gnoli went to New York for his first solo exhibit in the United States, which was held at the Sagittarius Gallery. A year later he settled in the city, where he was a reputed illustrator of magazines such as Vogue, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated.
At the beginning of the 1960s, he decided to concentrate on his career as a painter. His realistic works were focused on depicting everyday objects, for instance, chairs, sofas, beds and were very well received not only by critics but also by the public. However, his work also had features of European art movements of the first half of the century, such as Surrealism, magical realism and metaphysical painting. This set him apart from this movement of American origin.
Domenico Gnoli travelled all over the world. He spent the last years of his life in the town of Deià in Mallorca.
Braid
Armchair
Unbottoned button
Striped Trousers
Chemisette Verte
What Is a Monster? Woman Sole in Bath Tub
Due Dormienti
Red Hair on Blue Dress
Purple (?) Bust
Inside of lady’s shoe
Black Hair
Soutien-Gorge
Souris Blanche sur la nappe
Ritratto di Luis T
Red Dress Collar
City Sidewalk
Busto di Donna in Rosa
Orestes or The Art of Smiling
Frauenkopf (Chevelure)
Fish Market
Figura astratta n.2
Piccolo uomo con sciarpa rossa
Sofa
Romeo and Juliet
Il traghetto dei poeti
Composition
Shirt Collar Size 14 1/2
Scarpa vista da dietro
Empty Closet No. 2
Market Day
Waist line
Domenico Gnoli was married to the artist Yannick Vu.