Sergio Selva

Sergio Selva, born in Rome in 1919 and deceased in the same city in 1980, was a prominent Italian painter and mosaicist, son of the Triestine sculptor Attilio Selva. His artistic training was deeply influenced by his family background and by his frequent stays in Anticoli Corrado, a town where he spent long periods and developed much of his creative work. Selva made his debut early in the national art scene, participating in the XX Venice Biennale in 1936 with the painting 'Portrait of a Child', and returning in subsequent editions in 1938, 1940, 1948, and 1956, presenting works such as 'Landscape', 'Legionnaires at Rest', 'Portrait of a Child', and a series of paintings dedicated to shepherds and horses. At the same time, he took part in several editions of the National Quadriennale Exhibition of Art in Rome, from the second in 1935 to the tenth in 1972, confirming his status as a leading figure in modern Italian art.
In addition to painting, Selva distinguished himself as a mosaicist, creating works for important buildings such as the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul at the EUR in Rome. His works are present in collections of prestigious public museums, including the Revoltella Museum in Trieste and the Civic Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Anticoli Corrado. Among his solo exhibitions are those at the La Borgognona Gallery in Rome in 1970, the Gian Ferrari Gallery in Milan, the La Barcaccia Gallery in Rome in 1976, and the Porto di Ripetta Gallery in 1980. In 2017, a retrospective titled 'Sergio Selva (1919-1980). Between Dream and Reality' was dedicated to his work at the Civic Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Anticoli Corrado, attesting to his historical and artistic significance.