Artist
Francesco De Francesco was born in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, in Sicily, on 9 March 1938, he began to draw, paint and shape clay in 1946. Graduated in Medicine and Surgery, he practiced the profession of local Doctor and Hospital Doctor. He died in Bergamo on March 23, 2020.
He took part in a collective exhibition at Manuela Allegrini's Nuovo Spazio Art Gallery in Brescia on the occasion of the publication of the novel L'asta delle ceneri by Emilio Isgrò in April 1994.
He participated at Atelier D' Artista, a real-time exhibition number 22 presented by Franco Vaccari at the Giorgione's House in Castelfranco Veneto in 1996.
He created the Carrara marble statues of Longano e Itria streams for the fountain in his native village main square in 1998.
He illustrated the two classic books by Xavier de Maistre: Viaggio intorno alla mia camera and Spedizione notturna intorno alla mia camera in the version translated by Carmelo Geraci and including the preface by Emilio Isgrò, published by Moretti & Vitali in 1999.
These illustrations were exhibited at Corda Fratres Cultural Association Headquarter in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto in December 2000, at Salone degli Specchi of Messina Regional Province Palace in January 2001 and at Borromeo Library and the Monte Mario Amici Association in Rome in March 2001.
He presented to talk about Pinocchio at the ARS bookshop in Bergamo in January-February 2002 , an oil painting and some drawings illustrating the tale of Pinocchio.
He presented La Grande Madre at the Virgilio Carbonari Exhibition Hall of Seriate Municipal Building (Bg) in September 2002 , pictorial works from 1984 to 2002 with the presentation of the art critic Prof. Enrico De Pascale and the artists Emilio Isgrò, Basilio Reale and Franco Vaccari. He exhibited some of his works at the Ville Suardi Farms in Trescore Balneario (Bg) in May-June 2003 with the presentation of the art critic Prof. Ferdinando Noris.
He presented Diacronia at the San Sisto Auditorium, in District 7 of Bergamo Town, pictorial works from 1984 to 2003 with the presentation of the artist Prof. Bruno Talpo.
After 2003, the following are the major activities he did up to now:
2004 illustrations for the book Quaderno di Grecia by Alessandro Manganaro, edited by Carmelo Geraci, Edizioni Pungitopo.
2005 exhibition Francesco De Francesco in Mostra, S. Maria Fuori le Mura Oratory, Nonantola (Mo). Francesco De Francesco. Opere 1984-2005, Saletta delle Arti, Castelfranco Emilia (Mo). “Pensieri”, Stuffione Festival (Mo).
2010 exhibition Accadimenti, Corte Mura Cultural Center, Palazzolo sull'Oglio (Bs).
2011 exhibition Memoria-Sogno at the San Vito Auditorium in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto.
2012 illustrations for Ispirazione biblica e poesia. Il Breviarium Magnum di Francesco Petrarca by Daniele Rota, Paolo Cattaneo Grafiche.
2014 exhibition triplo ritratto, ovvero le tre età collective installation with Giovanni De Francesco and Rio Cicolari at the ARS bookshop in Bergamo. 2017 illustration for 15 Poesie by Michele Stilo, edited by Nino Sottile Zumbo, Giambra editore.
2018 Publication of the illustrations for Le avventure di Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi edited by Nino Sottile Zumbo and introduction exhibition at the Mudima Foundation in Milan. He created three paintings for the Bergamo Doctor Order Headquarters and one painting for Trescore Balneario Hospital. He painted the altarpiece Le anime del Purgatorio at the homonymous oratory in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto.
He took part in a collective exhibition at Manuela Allegrini's Nuovo Spazio Art Gallery in Brescia on the occasion of the publication of the novel L'asta delle ceneri by Emilio Isgrò in April 1994.
He participated at Atelier D' Artista, a real-time exhibition number 22 presented by Franco Vaccari at the Giorgione's House in Castelfranco Veneto in 1996.
He created the Carrara marble statues of Longano e Itria streams for the fountain in his native village main square in 1998.
He illustrated the two classic books by Xavier de Maistre: Viaggio intorno alla mia camera and Spedizione notturna intorno alla mia camera in the version translated by Carmelo Geraci and including the preface by Emilio Isgrò, published by Moretti & Vitali in 1999.
These illustrations were exhibited at Corda Fratres Cultural Association Headquarter in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto in December 2000, at Salone degli Specchi of Messina Regional Province Palace in January 2001 and at Borromeo Library and the Monte Mario Amici Association in Rome in March 2001.
He presented to talk about Pinocchio at the ARS bookshop in Bergamo in January-February 2002 , an oil painting and some drawings illustrating the tale of Pinocchio.
He presented La Grande Madre at the Virgilio Carbonari Exhibition Hall of Seriate Municipal Building (Bg) in September 2002 , pictorial works from 1984 to 2002 with the presentation of the art critic Prof. Enrico De Pascale and the artists Emilio Isgrò, Basilio Reale and Franco Vaccari. He exhibited some of his works at the Ville Suardi Farms in Trescore Balneario (Bg) in May-June 2003 with the presentation of the art critic Prof. Ferdinando Noris.
He presented Diacronia at the San Sisto Auditorium, in District 7 of Bergamo Town, pictorial works from 1984 to 2003 with the presentation of the artist Prof. Bruno Talpo.
After 2003, the following are the major activities he did up to now:
2004 illustrations for the book Quaderno di Grecia by Alessandro Manganaro, edited by Carmelo Geraci, Edizioni Pungitopo.
2005 exhibition Francesco De Francesco in Mostra, S. Maria Fuori le Mura Oratory, Nonantola (Mo). Francesco De Francesco. Opere 1984-2005, Saletta delle Arti, Castelfranco Emilia (Mo). “Pensieri”, Stuffione Festival (Mo).
2010 exhibition Accadimenti, Corte Mura Cultural Center, Palazzolo sull'Oglio (Bs).
2011 exhibition Memoria-Sogno at the San Vito Auditorium in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto.
2012 illustrations for Ispirazione biblica e poesia. Il Breviarium Magnum di Francesco Petrarca by Daniele Rota, Paolo Cattaneo Grafiche.
2014 exhibition triplo ritratto, ovvero le tre età collective installation with Giovanni De Francesco and Rio Cicolari at the ARS bookshop in Bergamo. 2017 illustration for 15 Poesie by Michele Stilo, edited by Nino Sottile Zumbo, Giambra editore.
2018 Publication of the illustrations for Le avventure di Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi edited by Nino Sottile Zumbo and introduction exhibition at the Mudima Foundation in Milan. He created three paintings for the Bergamo Doctor Order Headquarters and one painting for Trescore Balneario Hospital. He painted the altarpiece Le anime del Purgatorio at the homonymous oratory in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto.