Carlo Verdecchia (1905-1984) - Sensualità

Oil on Masonite

80×50 cm (the painted part only) - well framed

Provenance:
Galleria Serio, Naples, as indicated by the label and stamps on the back

Carlo Verdecchia was born in 1905 in Casoli di Atri, in Abruzzo, to Giuseppe Verdecchia, a veterinarian and landscape painter. At seventeen he moved to Naples to attend the Academy of Fine Arts, where his teachers were Vincenzo Volpe and Paolo Vetri[1][2].

Beyond formal training, a crucial role in his artistic growth was his association with the house of the pastel painter Giuseppe Casciaro in Vomero, a true cultural hub where Verdecchia came into contact with numerous Neapolitan and Italian artists. In that stimulating environment, he also formed a relationship with Guido Casciaro, with whom he maintained a lifelong friendship and collaboration. The Casciaros represented a true artistic family for him: with Guido Casciaro he shared exhibitions, awards (such as the ex aequo prize at Frattamaggiore in 1954) and theoretical discussions about art. Their meetings were frequent also at the famous Bar Daniele, a reference point for the Vomero artist group.

His exhibition career began early and with important recognitions. In 1936 he first participated in the Venice Biennale with the work Le tre età, followed by the editions of 1938, 1940 and 1942, the latter with a personal space in which he presented six works. He was then invited again in 1948, receiving a dedicated wall from the organizing body. Parallelly, he took part in the Second Quadriennale of Rome and in several editions of the national Sindacali exhibitions.

In 1951 he exhibited at the I Biennale Internazionale d'Arte Marinara di Genova and participated in multiple editions of the "Maggio di Bari". He also exhibited in numerous group and solo shows across Naples, Rome, L’Aquila, Pescara and Frattamaggiore, where in 1954 he won ex aequo with Guido Casciaro the prize-purchase for the painting Contadini sull’aia.

His works were shown in prestigious galleries such as Brera, Forti, Lauro, Medea, Michelangelo, Il Centro, San Carlo, Serio and Mediterranea, consolidating his reputation. After his death, important retrospectives at Francavilla al Mare (2010), Rivisondoli (2011–2012) and Atri (1998) contributed to a full critical reevaluation of his work.