Gottardo Piazzoni
Encyclopedia
Gottardo Fidele Piazzoni (1872-1945) was a Swiss-born American landscape painter, muralist and sculptor of Italian heritage, a key member of the school of Northern California artists in the early 1900s.
Born in Intragna, Switzerland
, Piazzoni moved at the age of 15 to his father's dairy farm in the Carmel Valley
. After training with Arthur Frank Mathews
at the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art (now the San Francisco Art Institute
), , Piazzonia trained for three years in Paris at the Académie Julian
and under Jean-Léon Gérôme
. He then returned to California to begin his career and set up his own teaching studio.
Specializing in landscapes in a muted palette, most scholars count Piazzoni among the Tonalists
. He sought out the lighting effects of certain times of day, taking a "special interest in full moonrises, the viewing of which became a family ritual. Venturing up a hill, the family would cheer the appearance of the moon. Piazzoni knew the exact time for each moonrise and kept precise records."
Piazzoni's best-known public work may be his 14 murals for the former headquarters of the San Francisco Public Library
for architect George W. Kelham
, ten of them dating from 1932, the other four painted in 1945 and not installed until the 1970s. After public debate and lawsuits in the late 1990s, the ten principal murals can now be seen at the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum
.
As of 1901 Piazzoni shared a studio with fellow painter Xavier Martínez
, with whom he founded the California Society of Artists. He was also a co-founder of the California Society of Etchers
in 1912, with Robert B. Harshe (1879–1938), art professor at Stanford University;; Pedro J. Lemos (1882–1954), professor at San Francisco Institute of Art; and Ralph Stackpole
(1885–1973), sculptor, printmaker, and at that time Piazzoni's studio assistant. He was also a member of the Bohemian Club
.
Among his students were George Post
, Rinaldo Cuneo
, and Dorr Bothwell
. American landscape painter Russell Chatham
is Piazzoni's grandson.
Born in Intragna, Switzerland
Intragna, Switzerland
Intragna was a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 25 October 2009 the municipalities of Borgnone, Intragna and Palagnedra merged into the municipality of Centovalli....
, Piazzoni moved at the age of 15 to his father's dairy farm in the Carmel Valley
Carmel Valley
The Carmel Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Monterey County, California, east of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The AVA is home to a number of wineries and vineyards, as well as the town of Carmel Valley Village...
. After training with Arthur Frank Mathews
Arthur Frank Mathews
Arthur F. Mathews was an American Tonalist painter who was one of the founders of the American Arts and Crafts Movement. Trained as an architect and artist, he and his wife Lucia Kleinhans Mathews had a significant effect on the evolution of Californian art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
at the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art (now the San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Art Institute is a school of higher education in contemporary art with the main campus in the Russian Hill district of San Francisco, California. Its graduate center is in the Dogpatch neighborhood. The private, non-profit institution is accredited by WASC and is a member of the...
), , Piazzonia trained for three years in Paris at the Académie Julian
Académie Julian
The Académie Julian was an art school in Paris, France.Rodolphe Julian established the Académie Julian in 1868 at the Passage des Panoramas, as a private studio school for art students. The Académie Julian not only prepared students to the exams at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, but offered...
and under Jean-Léon Gérôme
Jean-Léon Gérôme
Jean-Léon Gérôme was a French painter and sculptor in the style now known as Academicism. The range of his oeuvre included historical painting, Greek mythology, Orientalism, portraits and other subjects, bringing the Academic painting tradition to an artistic climax.-Life:Jean-Léon Gérôme was born...
. He then returned to California to begin his career and set up his own teaching studio.
Specializing in landscapes in a muted palette, most scholars count Piazzoni among the Tonalists
Tonalism
Tonalism was an artistic style that emerged in the 1880s when American artists began to paint landscape forms with an overall tone of colored atmosphere or mist. Between 1880 and 1915, dark, neutral hues such as gray, brown or blue, often dominated compositions by artists associated with the style...
. He sought out the lighting effects of certain times of day, taking a "special interest in full moonrises, the viewing of which became a family ritual. Venturing up a hill, the family would cheer the appearance of the moon. Piazzoni knew the exact time for each moonrise and kept precise records."
Piazzoni's best-known public work may be his 14 murals for the former headquarters of the San Francisco Public Library
San Francisco Public Library
The San Francisco Public Library is a public library system serving the city of San Francisco. Its main library is located in San Francisco's Civic Center, at 100 Larkin Street at Grove. The first public library of San Francisco officially opened in 1879, just 30 years after the California Gold...
for architect George W. Kelham
George W. Kelham
George William Kelham was an American architect most active in the San Francisco area.Born in Manchester, Massachusetts, Kelham was educated at Harvard and graduated from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1896...
, ten of them dating from 1932, the other four painted in 1945 and not installed until the 1970s. After public debate and lawsuits in the late 1990s, the ten principal murals can now be seen at the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum
M. H. de Young Memorial Museum
The M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, commonly called simply the de Young Museum, is a fine arts museum located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It is named for early San Francisco newspaperman M. H...
.
As of 1901 Piazzoni shared a studio with fellow painter Xavier Martínez
Xavier Martinez
Xavier Timoteo Martínez was a California artist active in the late 19th and early 20th century. He was born in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, and, after becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States, died in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California...
, with whom he founded the California Society of Artists. He was also a co-founder of the California Society of Etchers
California Society of Printmakers
California Society of Printmakers is the oldest continuously operating association of printmakers and friends of printmakers in the United States. CSP is a non-profit arts organization with an international membership of print artists and supporters of the art of fine printmaking...
in 1912, with Robert B. Harshe (1879–1938), art professor at Stanford University;; Pedro J. Lemos (1882–1954), professor at San Francisco Institute of Art; and Ralph Stackpole
Ralph Stackpole
Ralph Ward Stackpole was an American sculptor, painter, muralist, etcher and art educator, San Francisco's leading artist during the 1920s and 1930s. Stackpole was involved in the art and causes of social realism, especially during the Great Depression, when he was part of the Federal Art Project...
(1885–1973), sculptor, printmaker, and at that time Piazzoni's studio assistant. He was also a member of the Bohemian Club
Bohemian Club
The Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
.
Among his students were George Post
George Post (painter)
George Booth Post was an American watercolorist and art teacher.-Biography:Post was born George Booth Root III at his grandfather's home in Oakland, California. He spent several years in Gold Hill, Nevada with his mother and stepfather Walter Post, then returned to California to live in San...
, Rinaldo Cuneo
Rinaldo Cuneo
Rinaldo Cuneo , dubbed the Painter of San Francisco, was an American artist known for his landscape paintings and murals.-Early life and education:...
, and Dorr Bothwell
Dorr Bothwell
Dorr Hodgson Bothwell was an American artist, designer, educator, and world-traveller. She was born in San Francisco, California. She began her art career at the California School of Fine Arts in 1921, under the tutelage of Gottardo Piazzoni and Rudolf Schaeffer.- Travels :Bothwell's travels...
. American landscape painter Russell Chatham
Russell Chatham
Russell Chatham is a contemporary American landscape artist living in Livingston, Montana. The artist is the grandson of landscape painter Gottardo Piazzoni, though he is essentially a self-taught artist. His work has been exhibited in over 400 one man shows and in museums and galleries over the...
is Piazzoni's grandson.