1900

On 19 January Giovanni is born at Anagni in Lazio. His father is Roberto Colacicchi and his mother Pia Vannutelli.

1914

Attends school (Liceo) in Rome.

1916

Arrives in Florence to finish school and lives there for the rest of his life. Works as an assistant at the Scolopi school overseeing the pupils while they do their homework.

1917/18

After the disastrous Italian defeat at Caporetto enrolls in the bersaglieri division and departs for the front in the “Arditi” squadron, but the end of hostilities are declared while they are still in the train.

Meets the painter Cepparelli and carries out his first exercises in drawing and painting in his studio.

1920

Enrolls in the faculty of Letters and Philosophy at the university of Florence. Together with sculptor Giuseppe Graziosi, painter Francesco Franchetti, and the writers Alessandro Bonsanti, Eugenio Montale, Alberto Carocci, and Elio Vittorini frequents the Giubbe Rosse cafè, an important meeting place for Florentine intellectuals.

Begins to work in the studio of Franchetti who he always considered his only real maestro.

1921

While spending some time in Rome he gets to know his contemporary Onofrio Martinelli, and admires his paintings.

1922

Sets up his first studio in Borgo San Jacopo.

Meets the sculptor Libero Andreotti who buys one of his paintings in 1927, at an exhibition in which Colacicchi participates.

Visits Naples with Franchetti and admires the frescoes by Hans von Marées in the Stazione Zoologica.

1923

Introduced by art historian Giorgio Castelfranco to Giorgio de Chirico, he visits his studio.

Towards the end of the year Colacicchi moves his studio to Viale Volta 77.

1926

Together with Alberto Carocci and Raffaello Franchi he founds the journal “Solaria” where, together with the most important young Italian intellectuals, he publishes articles, poems, drawings and woodcuts.

Participates in the exhibition “Novecento Italiano” which is inaugurated in February in Milan at the Palazzo della Permanente. Receives positive reviews (Carrà, C.E. Oppo, A. Maraini).

Raffaello Franchi in “L’illustrazione toscana” begins a positive critique of Colacicchi’s work which he will develop in the coming years.

He first meets the young painter Emanuele Cavalli in Venice.

1928

Colacicchi is invited to exhibit two works at the Biennale of Venice. One of these, Uliveto sotto le Mura di Anagni (Olive grove outside the walls of Anagni) is purchased by the Galleria d’Arte Moderna of Florence. He joins the “Gruppo Novecentesco Toscano” which has amongst its members the painters and sculptors De Grada, Messina, Maraini, Bramanti, Marini, Peyron. The group is invited to exhibit in Milan and receives very positive reviews.

1929

The second exhibition of the “Gruppo Novecentesco Toscano” in Milan.

1930

Colacicchi has his first one-man show at the Saletta Fantini in Piazza Santa Trinita. He signs his paintings “Colacicchi Caetani” after his maternal grandmother, Germana Caetani. But from this time on he no longer uses the second surname.

The Trattoria l’Antico Fattore close to Piazza Signoria becomes a meeting place and between 1930 and 1931 a poetry competition which takes the name of the trattoria is organized and the first winner is Eugenio Montale (who goes on to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 1975) with his poem La Casa dei Doganieri. At the prize-winning ceremony Colacicchi is asked to read the poem to the invited audience.

Through Felice Carena, director of the Accademia di Belle Arti, he meets Flavia Arlotta.

1932

In Anagni paints Fine d’estate (The end of Summer), which, in 1993 is purchased by the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Florence, and begins Giacobbe e l’angelo (Jacob and the Angel).

In May the “XVIII Esposizione Biennale d’Arte” opens in Venice and Colacicchi is invited to exhibit nine paintings, including his Self portrait, Orfeo (Orpheus), and Amazzoni ferite (Wounded Amazons).

1933

In January Colacicchi inaugurates his second one-man show in the art gallery of the Florentine daily newspaper “La Nazione”

1934

Third one-man show, this one at the Galleria Fantini.

In May exhibits three important works including Giacobbe e l’angelo (Jacob and the Angel) at the “XIX Esposizione Biennale Internazionale d’Arte” (the nineteenth Biennale in Venice). In October he participates in the ” VII Mostra Interprovinciale d’Arte Toscana”.

Paints the large canvas entitled Niobe in memory of his friend Rand Herron who died tragically in Egypt.

Is in Baden Baden with Flavia Arlotta.

1935

Takes part in the “Seconda Quadriennale d’Arte Internazionale”, exhibiting Niobe and two still lifes.
In the summer he decides to leave Florence and sets sail for South Africa, where he lives in Cape Town for nearly a year, up until June 1936.

1936

At Stellenbosh and then in Ashbey’s Gallery in Cape Town he exhibits in one-man shows and sells works brought with him from Italy and also paintings he does in the environs of Cape Town.

In June he returns to Italy and in December exhibits at the Galleria Fantechi important works including Orfeo (Orpheus), Giacobbe e l’angelo (Jacob and the Angel), and Niobe as well as works painted in South Africa.

1937

Commissioned to decorate a room with panels in tempera in the Scuola di Guerra Aerea (School of Aerial Warfare) in Florence, built in the same year by the architect Raffaello Fagnoni.

In October participates in the Carnegie Prize.

In November he is invited to take part in the exhibition entitled “Ausstellung italienische Kunst von 1800 zur gegenwart” held at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin.

In November enters the Concorso Bianchi competition with a painting Manfredi illustrating an episode in the “Divina Commedia” (Canto VIII of Purgatorio) and he wins first prize.

Invited to teach ‘Decorazione’ at the Accademia di Belle Arti of Florence.

Giovanni and Flavia Arlotta’s first child, Piero, is born. They live near Lello and Elena Vivante in the country near Siena.

1939

Participates in January in Rome in the exhibition entitled “III Quadriennale d’Arte Nazionale”.

During the Spring paints a large painting Zaleuco giudice di Locri (Zaleuco, the Judge of Locri) for a hall in the Palazzo di Giustizia (the Law Courts) in Milan (Marcello Piacentini is the architect and artistic director). Colacicchi’s contract is signed on 22 February 1937 and the payment is established at 25.000 lire. Amongst the other artists who also decorate halls in the building are Sironi, Campigli, Carrà, Funi, Ferrazzi, Arturo Martini and Severini.

The same year a painting by Colacicchi is chosen by the organizers of the World Exhibition in New York for the Italian pavilion.

Ugo Arlotta buys a house and studio in Via dell’Osservatorio for his daughter Flavia, which will remain Flavia and Giovanni’s well-loved residence for the rest of their lives.

1940

Inauguration in February of a one-man show at the Lyceum in Florence at which Colacicchi first meets Bernard Berenson and they become friends at once. In April is appointed professor of the chair of ‘Decorazione’ at the Accademia di Belle Arti of Florence.

Takes part in a competition for the decoration of the Museo Nazionale delle arti e tradizioni popolare (the National Museum of traditional Italian life) in the district of EUR in Rome with a sketch model (Saltarello ciociaro; peasant dance in Ciociaria) for a fresco never carried out.

1943

During the War Colacicchi and his family leave Florence and the danger of bombings and go to live in Vallombrosa at Casa al Dono lent to them by Nicky Mariano and Bernard Berenson. They take in soldiers from the Allied forces escaping towards the South from German concentration camps and they hide Jews in danger of being caught.

In Florence Colacicchi takes an active part in the antifascist movements, and participates in the work of the Comitato di liberazione Toscana (the Tuscan Liberation Committee) together with Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti, Enzo Enriquez Agnoletti, and Carlo Levi.

In Vallombrosa Colacicchi writes a monograph on Pollaiolo, which is published the same year by Chessa.

He paints a large San Sebastiano (St Sebastian), an allegory of injustice, violence, and war. The painting will be purchased by the Galleria d’Arte Moderna of Florence in 1993.

He joins the Partito d’Azione (‘Action Party’).

1948

In March Colacicchi is a member of the committee organizing the quadrennial “Rassegna Nazionale di Arti Figurative” (“National Show of Figurative Art”) in Rome, and exhibits three paintings. In May he exhibits two paintings at the “XXIV Biennale” in Venice.

He paints a decoration, Allegoria del cinematografo (Allegory of the Cinema) for the Gambrinus cinema in Florence (the painting is acquired in 2011 by the Ente Cassa di Risparmio).

1950

Colacicchi refuses to participate in the “XXV Biennale” of Venice since the decision to invite him to do so was taken at the last minute not because of his qualities as a painter but for his position as professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti of Florence.

In May he inaugurates a one-man show at the Galleria Firenze, introduced by the writer Arturo Loria.

He takes part in the itinerant exhibition in Germany ” Italienische Kunst ” and is a member of the selection committee.

1953

The mayor of Florence, Giorgio La Pira, has the idea of inviting a group of contemporary artists to decorate some of Florence’s tabernacles with sacred images. Colacicchi is commissioned to paint a Madonna and Child for an external tabernacle on the wall of the Palazzo della Borsa Merci, overlooking the ‘Porcellino’ straw market.

A landscape Mediterraneo (The Mediterranean), painted the previous year, is acquired by the Galleria d’Arte Moderna of Florence.

1954

In March an exhibition of Colacicchi’s paintings and drawings opens at the Galleria Gussoni in Milan. 35 paintings and 10 drawings are on show.

In the same year he is appointed art critic for the Florentine daily newspaper “La Nazione” (and he retains this position for the next ten years).

1960

Colacicchi is nominated President of the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno of Florence, and is invited to become a member of the Accademia di San Luca and the Accademia Clementina of Rome.

1961

From 25 March to 10 April an important one-man show is held at the Galleria Santacroce in Florence; in December another exhibition is held in Milan, at the Vinciana gallery.

1962

Colacicchi completes a huge panel (24 square metres) representing Labour and a lunette with a River God, both for the Banca Commerciale Italiana in Via Tornabuoni in the centre of Florence (since around 2011 the large panel has been visible in the shop, entered from Via dei Pescioni 2, belonging to the fashion house of Stefano Ricci).

Le Niobidi (The Niobids), painted in 1946, is acquired by the Galleria d’Arte Moderna of Florence.

1967

In April an important retrospective exhibition opens at the Piemonte Artistico gallery in Turin.

1969

Colacicchi becomes a member of the Commissione Provinciale per la tutela delle Bellezze Naturali (Provincial Commission for the safeguarding of natural beauty) and remains on the committee until he resigns in 1971.

1971

The Accademia delle Arti del Disegno of Florence is invited to France to exhibit first at the Musée Ingres in Montauban, and then at the Musée du Fer in Nancy. Colacicchi exhibits a landscape.

The architect Riccardo Gizdulich founds the association Firenze Viva (“Association for the safeguarding of the historic, artistic, and natural patrimony of Florence and its surroundings”) which immediately organizes a (successful) campaign against the building of a Hilton hotel at Pian de’ Giullari on the hills on the south bank of the Arno. The founding members are: Colacicchi, President; Gizdulich, Secretary; Harold Acton, Flavia Arlotta, Myron Piper Gilmore, Fred Stephen Licht, Vairo Mongatti, Clotilde Peploe, Mina Gregori, treasurer. The headquarters are in Via de’ Servi 14.

1972

One-man show in Bergamo.
Publication of “Giovanni Colacicchi” by Guglielmo Petroni, Russo & Russo, Rome.

1973

With Flavia purchases a little studio house in Anagni, in a stepped lane below the Piazza.

1974

Major retrospective one-man show in Palazzo Comunale in his birthplace, Anagni.

1975

One-man show at the Pinacoteca of Latina.

Participates in the “Mostra degli Accademici delle Arti del Disegno” to celebrate a centenary of the birth of Michelangelo and the death of Giorgio Vasari.

1977

Donation of 32 drawings by Colacicchi (selected by Carlo Del Bravo) to the Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe degli Uffizi (Prints and Drawings Room of the Uffizi Gallery).

1979

Publication of “Pittori ‘toscani’ d’adozione” edited by Umberto Baldini. Baldini himself writes the section on Colacicchi, which describes the entire artistic output of the painter.

Colacicchi completes his large canvas La Resurrezione della carne (The Resurrection of the body).

1980

Exhibits again in Rome at the Galleria La Gradiva. Amongst some of the most notable intellectuals of the time present at the inauguration are Attilio and Bernardo Bertolucci.

1983

In January at an important exhibition dedicated to the “Novecento Italiano” Colacicchi exhibits Fine d’estate (The End of Summer).

Inauguration in March of a large retrospective exhibition devoted to Colacicchi in Frosinone.

1984

With the help of his son Francesco paints twelve large oil paintings which form a frieze representing the towns of Ciociaria in the province of Frosinone commissioned from Colacicchi for the council chamber in the Palazzo della Provincia in Frosinone.

1985

An exhibition is held at the Gabinetto di Disegni e Stampe degli Uffizi (“Dieci anni di Acquisizioni 1974-1984”, “Acquisitions in the decade 1974-1984”) in which many of the 32 drawings they own by Colacicchi are exhibited.

1986

An important retrospective exhibition on Colacicchi is held in the Sala d’Arme of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, curated by the art critic Tommaso Paloscia.

Colacicchi writes an article for “Il Corriere di Firenze” (18 november) entitled “La Firenze del futuro, Crescita e sviluppo” (“Florence in the future: growth and development”).

The Donna di Anagni (Woman of Anagni), painted in 1930, is acquired by the Galleria d’Arte Moderna of Florence.
Publication, under the auspices of the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno, of “La gioventù di Giovanni Colacicchi”, by Susanna Ragionieri, Alinea, Florence.

1988

An important exhibition entitled “Il cielo e dintorni” is held at the Castello di Volpaia near Siena. The section on Colacicchi is introduced with an article by Mauro Pratesi. Vittorio Sgarbi devotes a page to the merits of the artist in the magazine “Europeo” of 7 October.

Colacicchi publishes an article in “Italia Nostra” (number 255) entitled “Ingrandimento non è sviluppo. La ricerca di un ‘armonia’ è segno di una coscienza fiorentina estetica e morale” (“Development is not the same as enlargement. A search for harmony in the Florentine moral and aesthetic conscience).

1992

Giovanni Colacicchi dies on 27 December, still at work on his paintings, in his home in Via dell’Osservatorio.