Umberto Lilloni

Umberto Lilloni was an Italian painter born in Milan in 1898 to a family originally from Medole, Mantua province. Raised in a working-class Milanese neighborhood, he was initially destined by his father to manage the family business in cabinetry and furniture trade, but his restless nature led him to study naval engineering, which he later abandoned to pursue drawing at the Umanitaria artisan school. There he discovered his artistic vocation despite his father's opposition, which resulted in him being expelled from home. In 1915, he enrolled at the Brera Academy, studying under Osvaldo Bignami and Rapetti, and later under Tallone and Alciati after World War I. In 1922, he won the prestigious Pensionato Hayez prize with the work "Reclining Nude Woman." His artistic career evolved beyond post-impressionism, briefly engaging with the "Novecento" movement with a poetic and original approach. Lilloni was also a committed socialist sympathizer and participated in political and military events during World War I, earning decorations for his service. After the war, he taught painting at the Brera Academy and later at the Parma Academy until 1962. His work is noted for its deep attention to nature and landscapes, featuring subjects such as the woods of Lugano and seascape sunsets.