Corrado Cagli was a prominent Italian painter, born in Ancona in 1910, who played a significant role in the art world of the 20th century. His journey from Italy to the United States and back again is a testament to his resilience, adaptability, and profound artistic exploration. Cagli's life and work were deeply influenced by the political turmoil of his time, particularly the rise of Fascism in Italy and the outbreak of World War II. Despite these challenges, he managed to forge a unique artistic path that spanned various styles and mediums. At the age of five, Cagli and his family moved to Rome, where he would later attend the Academy of Fine Arts. His early exposure to the vibrant cultural life of Rome played a crucial role in shaping his artistic sensibilities. Cagli's artistic debut came in 1927 with a mural painted on a building in Via Sistina, marking the beginning of a prolific career that would see him experimenting with different styles and forms, from mural painting to drawing, sculpture, and tapestry creation. Cagli's work in the 1930s was characterized by a blend of traditional techniques and modern experimentation. He was part of the New Roman School of Painting, alongside artists such as Giuseppe Capogrossi and Emanuele Cavalli. This period saw Cagli engaging with mural painting, a medium he was deeply passionate about, as well as exploring neo-Cubist and metaphysical themes. His talent was recognized early on, and he was supported by Italy's Fascist regime, despite being Jewish and homosexual. This support allowed him to represent Italy at prestigious expositions such as the 1930 Paris Exposition and the Venice Biennale. However, the enactment of the Racial Laws in 1938 forced Cagli into exile. He first moved to Paris and then to the United States, where he continued to develop his art in exile. During his time in the U.S., Cagli's work primarily focused on drawing and painting on paper, mediums that suited his nomadic lifestyle and reflected his ongoing artistic search. He enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, where he was recognized for his artistic talent. Cagli's experiences during the war, including his participation in the Normandy landings and his drawings based on the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp, deeply impacted his work. After the war, Cagli returned to Rome in 1948, where he found himself at odds with Italy's post-war cultural climate. Despite this, he continued to explore new artistic directions, moving towards abstraction and engaging with themes of identity, war, and exile. His work from this period reflects a deep engagement with the international artistic research of the time, balancing between abstraction and figuration. Cagli's contributions to the art world were recognized with several awards, including the Guggenheim prize in 1946 and the Marzotto prize in 1954. He remained an influential figure in the Italian art scene until his death in Rome in 1976. Throughout his life, Cagli's work was marked by continuous experimentation and a refusal to be confined by any single artistic style or ideology. His legacy is that of a Copernican artist, whose visionary and revolutionary impetus animated his entire artistic and theoretical production. Cagli's life story is not just a narrative of artistic achievement but also a testament to the power of art to transcend boundaries, whether they be political, cultural, or stylistic. His work remains a source of inspiration for artists and art lovers alike, a reminder of the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity.

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