Ettore DeGrazia
Encyclopedia
Ettore "Ted" DeGrazia was an American
impressionist, western-pop painter
, sculptor
, and lithographer. Self-described as "the world's most reproduced artist", DeGrazia is known for his pastel images of Native American
children of the American Southwest and other Western scenes.
Born to an Italian copper miner in Morenci, Arizona Territory
, DeGrazia's graduation from Morenci High School was delayed to the age of 23 by a four-year family trip to Italy
beginning in 1920. In the early 1940s he studied under Diego Rivera
and José Clemente Orozco
, assisting with murals at the Palacio Nacional and the Hospital de Jesus. The two artists sponsored an exhibit of his paintings at Palacio de Bellas Artes and the young artist was featured in Mexico City's Hoy Magazine. He returned to the University of Arizona
, studying under Katherine Kitt where he received degrees in art and music.
In 1944, DeGrazia built his first gallery from adobe
on the corner of Prince and Campbell Road in Tucson, Arizona
. In 1951, he started work on what would become the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District
with the building of the Mission in the Sun and his home near the corner of Swan and Skyline roads. The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun was built in 1965. Artists and friends who spent time at the new gallery included Thomas Hart Benton
, Olaf Wieghorst, Jack Van Ryder
, Pete Martinez and Ross Santee. In 2006, the 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) property, now a museum of DeGrazia's work, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
DeGrazia's work first appeared in Arizona Highways
magazine in 1941. In 1960, DeGrazia received a commission to produce cover art for UNICEF greeting cards. His designs have appeared on lithographs, collector plates, greeting cards, and in a series of Goebel figurines made by the same company that is famous for its Hummel figurines.
In 1976, Degrazia engaged in a protest against inheritance tax
es based on assessed market value
s of his work. The artist claimed the IRS rulings made him "a millionaire on paper and my heirs will have to pay taxes for which there is no money." In his well-publicized protest, Degrazia rode horseback into the Superstition Mountains
and burned 100 of his paintings.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
impressionist, western-pop painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, and lithographer. Self-described as "the world's most reproduced artist", DeGrazia is known for his pastel images of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
children of the American Southwest and other Western scenes.
Born to an Italian copper miner in Morenci, Arizona Territory
Morenci, Arizona
Morenci is a census-designated place in Greenlee County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,879 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Safford Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, DeGrazia's graduation from Morenci High School was delayed to the age of 23 by a four-year family trip to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
beginning in 1920. In the early 1940s he studied under Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera
Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez was a prominent Mexican painter born in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, an active communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo . His large wall works in fresco helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in...
and José Clemente Orozco
José Clemente Orozco
José Clemente Orozco was a Mexican social realist painter, who specialized in bold murals that established the Mexican Mural Renaissance together with murals by Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and others...
, assisting with murals at the Palacio Nacional and the Hospital de Jesus. The two artists sponsored an exhibit of his paintings at Palacio de Bellas Artes and the young artist was featured in Mexico City's Hoy Magazine. He returned to the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
, studying under Katherine Kitt where he received degrees in art and music.
In 1944, DeGrazia built his first gallery from adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
on the corner of Prince and Campbell Road in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. In 1951, he started work on what would become the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District was the artistic manifestation and architectural constructed of Ettore DeGrazia. The property is a series of buildings scattered throughout a natural desert setting. Built in Tucson near the intersection of Swan Road and Skyline the property is now a...
with the building of the Mission in the Sun and his home near the corner of Swan and Skyline roads. The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun was built in 1965. Artists and friends who spent time at the new gallery included Thomas Hart Benton
Thomas Hart Benton (painter)
Thomas Hart Benton was an American painter and muralist. Along with Grant Wood and John Steuart Curry, he was at the forefront of the Regionalist art movement. His fluid, almost sculpted paintings showed everyday scenes of life in the United States...
, Olaf Wieghorst, Jack Van Ryder
Jack Van Ryder
Jack Van Ryder was born near Tucson, Arizona in 1898. He spent his early years driving cattle in the American southwest, painting backdrops on Hollywood back-lots and serving in the military. Self-taught, Ryder's soft pastels colored paintings captured the dusty bruding southwestern twilight skies...
, Pete Martinez and Ross Santee. In 2006, the 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) property, now a museum of DeGrazia's work, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
DeGrazia's work first appeared in Arizona Highways
Arizona Highways (magazine)
Arizona Highways is a magazine that contains travelogues and artistic photographs related to the state of Arizona. It is published monthly in Phoenix by a unit of the Arizona Department of Transportation....
magazine in 1941. In 1960, DeGrazia received a commission to produce cover art for UNICEF greeting cards. His designs have appeared on lithographs, collector plates, greeting cards, and in a series of Goebel figurines made by the same company that is famous for its Hummel figurines.
In 1976, Degrazia engaged in a protest against inheritance tax
Inheritance tax
An inheritance tax or estate tax is a levy paid by a person who inherits money or property or a tax on the estate of a person who has died...
es based on assessed market value
Market value
Market value is the price at which an asset would trade in a competitive auction setting. Market value is often used interchangeably with open market value, fair value or fair market value, although these terms have distinct definitions in different standards, and may differ in some...
s of his work. The artist claimed the IRS rulings made him "a millionaire on paper and my heirs will have to pay taxes for which there is no money." In his well-publicized protest, Degrazia rode horseback into the Superstition Mountains
Superstition Mountains
The Superstition Mountains , popularly referred to as "The Superstitions", are a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area...
and burned 100 of his paintings.