Lino Bianchi Barriviera - Scheda dell'artista
 
 

Lino Bianchi Barriviera

 
 

 

Lino Bianchi Barriviera (Barriviera is the maternal surname that he added to the paternal one in 1933), artist, painter and etcher, was born in Montebelluna (Treviso) in 1906 and died in Acilia (Rome) in 1985.

After the first years of his youth, he lived in Venice and Florence, settled finally in Rome in 1935, and at the end of the 70’s moved to Acilia.

The fame of the artist is mainly linked to his large production, more than 950 plates,  for which he mostly used etchings but also experimented with several other techniques; it has also to be noted that he performed masterfully in other forms of arts, first of all the oil painting, and then wall frescoes and tempera decorations, wood-carving, stained-glass windows, mosaics, ceramics, embossing, stamp engravings and jewel making.

   

 

       
           
   

 

       
 

 Art Exhibitions 

         

The first examples of oil painting from life go back to the years 1922-1924 whilst the first etching was done in 1925 in the studio of Raoul Dal Molin Ferenzona in Florence.

The participation in important competitions/exhibitions, in Italy and abroad, begins in 1929 at the “Opera Bevilaqua La Masa” in Venice.

Only a partial list is thereafter given of the most important exhibitions which the artist participated in or which were  dedicated to him, for further information see

By invitations, he exhibits at the “International Art Biennial” of Venice from 1936 to 1954, at the National Art Quadrennial” of Rome from 1935 to 1965, at the “Overseas Triennial” of Naples in 1940 and 1952, at the “Biennial of Contemporary Italian Etchings” from 1955 to 1968, at the National Art Biennial “Cittą di Milano” in Milan from 1941 to 1969 and at the Triennial of Milan in 1969 and 1972.

He regularly participates in exhibitions, in Italy and abroad, organised by the A.I.V. (Association of Etchers of Veneto) of which he is charter member and vice-president, and to those organised by the U.C.A.I. (Catholic Union of Italian Artists) of which he is councillor of the Roman section.

In 1952 the National Chalcography of Rome dedicates to him a one-man
            exhibition.

In 1973 a one-man drawing and painting exhibition takes place at Palazzo Braschi
            in Rome.

In 1981 in Montebelluna and in Villa Simes – Contarini (Padua) two graphic
            anthological exhibitions are organised.

In 1988 the Civic Museum Bailo of Treviso exhibits a portfolio with etchings of
            the .

In 1989 the Municipality of Montebelluna dedicates to the Master a retrospective
            exhibition of drawings, etchings and paintings.

In 1997 the Italian Ministry of the Navy organises an exhibition of his drawings,
            etchings and paintings.

   

 

       

 Awards

 
           

Only a few especially important awards are mentioned here, for further information see

In 1934 Lino Bianchi Barriviera is awarded the First Prize at the First National Competition for copper etchings on “Views of Rome” announced by the Ministry of Education.

In 1935 he is awarded (ex-aequo) the First Prize at the competition announced by the War Ministry for “Works on War 1915-1918”.

In 1956 he is awarded the First Prize “Cittą di Forlģ” at the Third Biennial of Contemporary Drawings and Etchings.

 
   

 

       
 

Teaching Activities  

           

From 1937 to 1955 Lino Bianchi Barriviera holds the Chair of “Etching” at the Academy of Naples, and he is Director of the same Institute from 1950 to 1954.

From 1956 to 1976 he holds the same Chair at the Rome Academy of Art.

In the following period he is Director of a training course for chisel etchers at the State Printing Office and Mint of Rome.

   

 

Offices and Recognitions

 
           

Member of the International Association for Plastic Arts (UNESCO), of the Florence Academy of Drawing Arts, of the “Incamminati” Academy, of the “Montelliana” Academy, of the Italian Institute for Africa, of the “Pontificia Insigne Accademia Artistica dei Virtuosi del Pantheon”, Commendatore of the Order of Pope St. Gregory.

In 1970 he is commissioned Cav. Uff. of the Italian Republic.

In 1971 he is awarded the Gold Medal of the Italian Republic for the “Benemeriti” of Art and Culture.

In 1975 he is awarded the prize given by the International Art Centre (“Esperienza” Foundation) every year to prominent European artists.

In 1980, on the occasion of the XXXIV National Philatelic Conference in Rome he is awarded the prize by the Steering Committee of the National Federation of Italian Stamp Dealers.

Between the years 70’s and 80’s he is Honorary Inspector of the Graphic Art Works of the Rome Municipality, Honorary Inspector for the graphic works of the Ministry of Environment and Cultural Goods, Inspector for the graphic arts and philately of the State Printing Office.

The artist dies when he was on the verge of becoming a member of the S. Luca Academy.

 
   

 

  Special Assignments 

           

In 1938 Lino Bianchi Barriviera goes to Ethiopia for study reasons and, in 1939, invited by the Duke of Aosta, he participates, as a drawing artist, in an mission for the study and survey of the archaeological sites of Lalibelą, on the Ethiopian plateau; from this expedition he brings back many drawings and, from these, with a commitment lasting for ten years, he creates a portfolio of etchings of the and others in Lasta-Vagh in Ethiopia, the only existing graphic evidence of this site, which nowadays has been declared Heritage of Mankind by UNESCO.

Between 1940 and 1943, invited by the Ministry of the Navy to work with the group “War Painters”,  he goes to the naval base of Taranto, the submarine base of Naples and makes several drawings, paintings and etchings.

By commission of the Holy See, in 1962, Lino Bianchi Barriviera carries out a painting of the Second Vatican Council (opera di S. Pietro, Rome) and, in 1965, a Portrait of His Holiness Pope Paul VI.

   

 

 

Works Belonging to Public Collections

           

Works of the artist are kept in the public collections of the following towns:

Addis Abeba (Ethiopia), Almaty (Kazachstan), Assisi, Benevento, Budapest, Civitanova Marche, Florence, L'Aquila, Lucca, Milan, Modica, Moscow, Munich, Naples, New York (U.S.A), Noto, Paris, Pisa, Rome, Salzburg, Sao Paulo (Brazil), Skoplije, Stockholm, Teramo, Trent, Treviso, Trieste, Turin, Vatican City, Venice.

The Italian State Printing Office and Mint acquired 11 engravings of the “Roman Views” made between 1931 and 1941, and the complete portfolio of the 65 original plates of the engravings of the monolithic churches of Lalibelą.

 
   

 

  Artist's Publications

           

L. Bianchi Barriviera, Le chiese monolitiche di Lalibelą e altre nel Lasta-Uagh, in Etiopia, in «Fede e Arte», N° 4, Oct.-Dec. 1962;

L. Bianchi Barriviera, Le chiese in roccia di Lalibelą e di altri luoghi del Lasta, in «Rassegna di Studi Etiopici», volumes XVIII (1962) and XIX (1963);

L. Bianchi Barriviera, Restauri alle chiese di Lalibelą, in «Rassegna di Studi Etiopici», volume XXII (1966).

L. Bianchi Barriviera, L’incisione e la stampa originale. Tecniche antiche e moderne, Neri Pozza Editore, Vicenza 1984 (precious and comprehensive manual of etching techniques, still nowadays used by several Italian Art Academies, will, if possible, be published and made available on-line).

Further information concerning publications, contributions, miscellaneous writings by the artist can be found in Lino Bianchi Barriviera. Acqueforti dal 1925 al 1972, (Etchings from 1925 to 1972), a critical essay by G. Da Vią, Padova (Rebellato) 1973, pages 284-285 .

   

 

 Basic References

           

Lino Bianchi Barriviera. Acqueforti dal 1925 al 1972, (Etchings from 1925 to 1972), a critical essay by G. Da Vią, Padova (Rebellato) 1973 (the appendix includes a detailed bibliographical note up to 1972, especially referring to his engraved works).

Acqueforti di Lino Bianchi Barriviera. Le chiese monolitiche di Lalibelą (1939-1949)  (Etchings of L.B.B.: the Monolithic Churches of Lalibelą),  edited by E. Manzato, catalogue of the exhibition, Treviso 1988.

Lino Bianchi Barriviera (1906-1985). Acqueforti, disegni, dipinti 1924-1984,
(L.B.B.(1906-1985): etchings, drawings, paintings, 1924-1984) exhibition catalogue, Treviso 1989.

S. Bianchi, Lino Bianchi Barriviera. Catalogo delle opere dal 1973 al 1985 (I parte)(L.B.B. Catalogue of the works from 1973 to 1985 - Part 1), in «Grafica d’Arte», N° 7, July-Sept. 1991, pages 10-18;

S. Bianchi, Lino Bianchi Barriviera. Catalogo delle opere dal 1973 al 1985 (II parte)(L.B.B. Catalogue of the works from 1973 to 1985 - Part 2), in «Grafica d’Arte», N°. 8, Oct.-Dec. 1991, pages 15-24.

C. Beltrami, Segni e luoghi. Vita e opere di Lino Bianchi Barriviera (1906-1985), Treviso 2004 ( includes some post-1972 bibliographical information).
T
his publication originates from the degree thesis discussed by author at the faculty of Letters and Philosophy of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice in 1997 (Prof. Lionello Puppi, Supervisor).

 
 

  Archive at the Benetton Foundation 

 

The Library/Documention Centre of the Benetton Foundation for studies and research in Treviso keeps the "Lino Bianchi Barriviera Archive" including very various documents: letters, photographs, slides, photographic plates, monographic and periodical pubblications, exhibition catalogues, playbills, press clippings concerning the artist's life and works.

This material, donated by the artist's sister Delia in 1999, has been reorganized and inventoried and can be consulted on the website.

 

 


 

 

 


 

  e-mail: info@lino-bianchibarriviera.it