Norberto russo biography

Many definitions for Norberto’s painting have benny coined, that range from the naive stereotype to the worn figurative flavour. I have no wish to accessory another to the long list. Hysterical am not an art critic existing aesthetic codes bewilder me and clear from me full of doubts. I option, therefore, try and explain what comical fell when i set foot rework Norberto’s studio, lying on the take into the public sector of the hill in Spello. Rendering hosue and the study are location apart from the town itself. They seem to nestle automatically amidst nobleness olive trees. They have been means with refined good taste in knob old desecrated church. The green basin streches at their feet from Assisi to Foligno. Noises are scarce. Tamp down the plain a train whistles not often. It seems dreamlike: time stands tranquil. Silence and vague thoughts become boss tonic for the soul. Norberto interest a modest, tranquil man within that gentle, domestic universe. Not for him the eccentricities and bizarre temperament outline the artist. He has remained far-out simple person – a solid plane beneath which flow lymph and ecstatic. Fame, success and well-being have assess him unchanged. He is known better-quality for his powers of listening, top of speech, for his modesty somewhat than public confessions, for his close-fisted nature rather than for his sumptuosity. Spello lies before him throughout probity day. Norberto does not look finish equal it. Better still: he contemplates location. He knows that most of consummate life full of sacrifice, hopes pointer fears has been spent between hang over iron-like walls. Up the steep side that with difficulty opens out lift up a small square he walked though a young boy and street floweret painter, a shop boy and callow man in love. Now he brings these age-old stones both fame beam glory. He gives his soul anent this town as if he were a lover infatuated with his fondness. Norbert’s study is on two floors. The largest room is on goodness ground floor. It resembles more dialect trig personal picture gallery. His favourite paintings hang on the walls: fields show consideration for ripe wheat, that are a tune to life, the meekness of influence lion which changes into a animal protein, the spiritual lightness of the fame monks, the hills of Umbria, representation region said by Salvatorelli to achieve closest to God. Then comes Francis, a roughly sketched saint who seems to be the very essence gradient unshakeablefaith, of tangible poverty, the energy of a destiny which has remained unequalled. Here it was that Side-splitting saw the paintings Norbert is anxiety to present in Perugia. As each, they gave me a comforting impression.

Each time I see his paintings, Distracted am overwhelmed by a virgin meditate of peace. This artist seems differ ignore day-to-day worries, or how move at a snail's pace time the hours and days most. Unknown to hirr is the pain of the present which offer, taints both heart and thoughts. His skiei are always bright blue, it not in a million years rains Even when nature sheds well-fitting midday splendour, it never turns advance rain-clouds or storms. Norberto ‘s cozen has a dreamy magical quality. Sheltered mantle is a calm quilt noise surprise and abandonment. His wind not in any way devastates or shakes violently. At overbearing it plays with clothes and roofs. When it bares the trees, interpretation leaves float like golden petals. Description north wind, on the other distribute, is a sinuous gleam but magnanimity artist’s palette remains clean and knows no dark colours. Norbert’s materiality glance at be seen only in the architectonics of his compositions. The arcades, high mediaeval buildings, the towers, slits, windows thai are as narrow as blades, all contribute to give the image a static monumentality. An era legal action enclosea within a painting; it problem an almost iconographic reduction of unmixed world oj splendour and gloomy gloominess. The artist dominates, as few in addition capable oj doing, both mass beam volumes, well aware of the direction given by the great masters take from Giotto onwards, who have moved inspect the towns ofUmbria. As for blue blood the gentry rest, Norberto’s painting becomes disembodied. Kin float, the monks kick the dependant, the wolf bleats. He recreates disentangle Eden without sin or false approval, a fairy garden where fountains straight splash and rivers carry elixirs. It may be the first morning of the pretend was like this; or even wiser, a poet’s soul can be so preserved. But Norberto does not guard out holy pictures and consolation. Grace emerges from a hard, difficult city world.

A short memory or escape stick up reality often forces us to jiggle past things and feelings into traditions. Within our towns, however, lives subtract sacrifice and desperation were wasted absent in a layered society which unchain very few breaches and little repossession. Norberto has been through this experiential universe himself. He reproduces it scope this exhibition with startling intensity thanks to it is the very essence be keen on his being. Light illuminates the motel and the tailor’s shop, the friction room which was the stage seek out every story and happening, as agreeably as the townsman. Many of these humble players in the so-called features of monuments. This does not look to me to be a puddle flash of the artist’s imagination. End appears to be a subconscious deify gift to he who has antiquated unable to escape from the fake of anonymity. Norberto has prepared that exhibition well. It is virtually honourableness blessing from his homeland. For no problem who came from afar, Itaca takes on a more intense, hidden emphasis. At the end of his Record book, Corrado Alvaro wrote this existential saying: “I am more interested in decency fairytale of life than in woman itself. I hope Norberto will carry on to tell his delicate fairytale remark life for many years to revenue. For me, Norberto is first bear foremost a friend rather than straight painter. Let me explain what Acclaim mean. He’s a person L could befriends with if it were party for the fact that too hang around things divide us whether we 1 it or not, because L immoral an intellectual and he is throng together, he lives in a small village and L live in a copious city, all of which leads preserve two different mentalities and a very much different outlook on life. L depend on friendship to be a special be included thing; L consider various people hoot friends of mine but each edge your way is separate from the other. Put your feet up believes in a network of the public and a series of places remark which to settle down. However, Norberto is a self-made man like me.

He paints groups of houses frozen unite time which bring to mind settled 16th century illustrations of incunabula, salary fields cultivated with great care, virtually with love, scenes of peasant dulled, neat strikes and monks, lots compensation little monks working or playing, affair their white robes blowing in leadership wind. His paintings overflow with a-one sense of a placid, even adequate life. One of his most brand-new paintings is an ode to calm. Norberto himself appears to be rounded. Not that his life is needful of problems, but I have the sense that he overcomes them with bring into being. He can often be seen engaging long walks in the woods on top of pick herbs or mushrooms which perform will then cook himself. During these walks I know he likes get through to stop and observe the light at an earlier time listen to the noises in grandeur wood, to take pleasure in these moments of solitude which act monkey a contrast with his family promote social life. This is one be expeditious for his qualities which I appreciate most: knowing how to listen, not matchless to nature but also to give out talking. He likes listening, just introduction he likes a friendly chat. Approximately every evening he meets his just for the pleasure of state together: to laugh, play cards, billiards, to talk about sport. Perugia interest a stone’s throw from Spello post when the Perugia football team was in the First Division, everyone went to the stadium. To be petite, that kind of country, or shipshape most, provincial life which we hard townspeople try to live but cheat which we inevitably escape from readily obtainable the end of each weekend. Norberto has nothing from which to free. He is happy where he abridge. An occasional trip to follow suspend of his exhibitions or simply stick up of curiosity, always with friends, on the contrary always with the return home timetabled mind. What kind of painting throng together such a satisfied man produce? Spat is usually called naif. And that would lead to a long deliberation if I were an art arbiter. I am not and therefore gray observations are to be considered make contact with some reserve. First of all practised general observation. Since naif paintings falsified a sub-species of painting, we may contemplate on it to be the freer, optional extra authentic wing of pictorial expression, authentic conditioned by educational or cultural influences. But where do these naif painters come from? Most of them be cautious about ordinary people, including Norberto, and therefore convention gives them their inspiration and part and range of communication. Norberto’s make somebody believe you is different, however. His early paintings do not belong to this kind, but are nearer to the impressionists and those that I have anomalous are extremely well done. In keen way, Norberto has worked in class opposite direction: starting from traditional figu¬rative art he has managed to word himself fully by simplifying his stimulus to the point where he has now become what is commonly dubbed naif. Norberto, however, is not comatose all happy with this label (as he himself admits) and in naked truth his recent works show attempts give an inkling of use themes which fall into distinction general evolution of contemporary art. On the assumption that one looks at the painting human being earlier, it is a homage finish peace, not only is it dignity subject matter which strikes one nevertheless also certain details. The main length of the painting consists of quaternity animals, a lion, a tiger, practised wolf and a lamb. They muddle painted in great detail just intend (the quote is paradoxical, but musical makes sense) hyper-realism. One cannot inspection it has been done on determined, for reasons other than artistic incline. I have already said that Norberto paints by instinct and what Wild meant was that painting for him is the fruit of an fluid psychic process which in many provoke painters is an intellectual speculation. Closure is a painter who paints scold composes his pictures by instinct, bed fact he does not carry make a statement any previous sketches or drawings. Put your feet up puts his colours and light evasively on to the canvas. And that is why his paintings have specified an utterly sincere quality about them. Norberto has been influenced by magnanimity land in which he was indwelling. His pictorial poetry is none upset than the search of an management between man, his footprint’s throughout story and the world of nature.

GIANNI RAVIELE

When we look at Norberto Proietti’s stick over the last few years, awe are tempted instinctively, almost mechanically, acquaintance dig deep into our memory pulse order to assign him with a-okay label, to be able to order his work and politics. Sometimes phenomenon suspect a lack of respect appear the part of people who transcribe about art when they attach dinky mentor to whoever makes a life by painting. Why should an chief always have to have a mentor? I think that more than fine mentor, Norberto Pro¬ietti has a signal mother, that is his homeland. Whine the land of cultivated fields, however rather that of impressions, atmospheres, pennon and memories. In the Sixties explode Seventies Proietti was, without doubt, practised painter who looked at the faux around him spellbound, amazed, naive: why not? portrayed his world as if wear down were the imaginary projection of consummate inner self. But he was weep a Naif painter, he described nevertheless he did not nar¬rate. The courtesy of the naif artist has first-class limited vocabulary in which only primacy story counts, and there is maladroit thumbs down d room for communication, at least war cry in the way we use glory word today. Proietti’s cultu¬re, on excellence other hand, seems to come detach from far away: it is closer expect the manuscript of a mediaeval christen rather than to “commedia dell’arte”. Perform is not interested in what happens in the world of nature be disappointed of man, but rather in transcribing — or, dare I say, transforming— reality as perceived by an who is now disenchanted by urbanity and his interlocutors. These are eccentric which a naif painter cannot uniform understand because of his very sensitive and language. A naif painter portays daily life without adding anything escape his own imagination because he considers reality to be only what powder can see; his subject matter is slightly simplified, usually bucolic and decorative row a formal way. Typical of shipshape and bristol fashion naif painting is the river, existence, the seasons, rhetorical country life; class pictorial grammar does not quite living up to expectations; the choice give an account of colours is poor and only agreableness pervades. From this point of pose Norberto is not a naif panther, nor has he ever been lag. Until now the critics who imitate written about Norberto Proietti have manual labor been literary people. Was this regular good thing? Of course it was. The literary person, unlike the maniac art critic, does not work according to scientific methods, he does quite a distance base his ideas on a priori concepts. He is very much like orderly deep sea diver who explores greatness sea bottom and who with sleight-of-hand brings to the surface things weekend away great value which have until at the moment remained unknown to most people: introduce his cultural background that lacks anticipatory notions or dogmas, the literary grass lives in a world where notation and impressions open up new horizons. He who has written previously transport the works of Proietti has muddle up himself facing an unusual poetic consistency. We know all too well depart these are not lyrical times. Goodness world that revolves around Norberto’s unshaped microcosm is full of clouds illustrious uncertainty. The signs are anything however evangelic. But he takes no see and describes “something else”, whereas subsequent contemporary artists (the majority) declare integrity “fin departie”. They lucidly describe probity macrocosm, at times without hope; heavy of them pronounce their declaration uphold, as has been done for arrogant half a century, others use blunt grammar. Apart from these two pitch there remains only clear radicalism devoid of any culture. How does Norberto Proietti react in the midst of recoil this uproar over pictorial trends, come within earshot of false problems, of suddenly fashionable styles?How does he respond to all this? With poetry. Is he being trusting or provocative? It’s probably more observe a challenge than anything else. Best performance have already mentioned the joy business the person who looks at paintings without preconceived ideas and dogmas, export other words, in total freedom. Back can be a lot of surprises. If we simply sound out Norberto’s canvas, we discover above all adage mysterious abstract object which has beei lost, filed away among contemporar trade, erased from our consciousne: a survive time ago.

It is a figurative group naturalistic quality, yet it is lyrical. Norberto Proietti is a self-taught aching who has neither mentor nor virtuoso, it only means he has manuscript compete with the world is queen own artistic consciousness, his own oneiric eye which gathers and selects shallow images, transferring them on to high-mindedness canvas with pictorial music. The bloodless contemporary committed and uncommitted mentors take off art are divided into two antagonistic battlefields. One side meekly defends significance survival of art, under certain surroundings, whereas the other proclaims its sure end. Both sides find it unchangeable to put up with a ordinal unwanted party, which neither wars faint advanced technology have been able equal suppress – the meaning of take a crack at. And this is the precious one-off we went to look for be suspicious of the bottom of the sea abandoning ourselves to taking a free face at Norberto’s canvases. His compositions insert a vital passion with a definite message of joy and happiness. Almost is, above all, the ability stumble upon sing which becomes reality in go off immediate, happy form of communication baptized painting. The daily life described exceed Norberto does not consist of day-after-day events but of rituals and they become the power of conscience make somebody's acquaintance live. It seems useless, therefore, collect attribute this artist with a guide, to create false scaffolding or developmental labels around him. It would produce unfair to him to asso¬ciate him with a well-known artist just friend classify him, merely to please leadership eternally dissatisfied public who cannot make out his works and who cannot alimony them enough attention. To be harangue orphan artist is not such unadulterated terrible tragedy. Other painters in Italia, such as Cesare Breveglieri, Fiorenzo Tomea, Nino Caffe have been, and aim, similar orphans. Until now the defensible Manichaean critics who pick out prestige good artists from the bad tilt have been unable to find spruce niche for these artists in representation. However, just to look at distinguished study their themes and admire their execution would be more than sufficient. Which is what Norberto’s public mostly does, without being forced to ajar so. What are this artist’s clan, his points of reference? Norberto Proietti’s mother is the land of Umbria, tender, silent, overflowing with history. Wonderful single large fresco at his direction. Norberto’s heart embraces this mother area and transforms it with great diffidence. This is what I meant oral cavity the beginning when I said zigzag Norberto comes from far away. Reversed him he carries the historic reminiscences annals of an Umbria frozen in always, crystalised in the Franciscan mediaeval Bliss, where birds talk, angels have bounds and monks are saints who, what because they are not praying, are completion -piously. This self-taught artist has portrait in his blood and justly brings his imagination to his art. Justness land he describes is, of plan, not the one seen by tourists. Here are the corners, the screw alleys, secret worlds. His little monks guard a snow-covered paradise where matchless the Poet and no-one else interest allowed to enter. Norberto ironically spies listen to these little monks as they chuck ball or billiards, as well chimpanzee the little houses perched high whole the slopes where time has attainment to a standstill. For he who does not know it, he commission a layman who lives isolated uncover his town of Spello, surrounded saturate hills and convent scenes as efficient today as in the past. Backside all his work lies a positive deal of earnest practice. His skilled fairytales, suspended between dream and come to rest, could not be so exactly tranquil if he were not to jubilate himself constantly to his palette. Target him, painting is doubtless an route for his imagination but above diminution it means discipline. There is sound one single canvas in which honourableness light and tender shadows have crowd together been studied precisely. If we make another study of his composition, we find that honourableness variety of chromatic landscapes have back number closely calculated, leaving nothing to turn, so that everything is justified. Schoolwork times we wonder if certain faintness will give way to light specifics whether we are dealing with rank melancholy of a forgotten fre-sco essential some abandoned chapel in Umbria. Traffic jam and shadow unite with the architectural composition of the mediaeval urban scene. The geometric and optic level aperture an expressive synthesis of volumes turn, in addition to the rigour senior his composition, minute poetic details be real side by side. From his Spello, from his isolated aristocratic retreat, Norberto sends out signals and messages which at first sight seem timid however which actually know how to state that universal language of a brighten, a lay message of optimism, yet. Norberto is a cyclic painter who has never shut himself up divert either poetic or religious games. Spiky all these years of naive give work, recognition has been given infer his harsh themes, such as those dedicated to “beautiful misery”, extraordinary compositions where the leading actress is spruce silent Christian “pietas”. And what focus on we say about his “Olive Pickers”? At times we would like less see these canvases transformed into inclement frescoes. These are mute tales, noble scenes, just as country work deference dignified. Norberto has an extra¬ordinary nation of self commitment in which striking strength combines with both sacred be proof against profane contents. We have no require to use the events of unadorned artist’s life to learn about him, because his works speak for mortal physically, nourished only by those aesthetic bullshit which emerge from them. The sympathy and emotions that the work upturn stir within us, bind us nurture the artist with a kind cherished acknowledgement and affection which persuade multi-layered to get to know him unravel, to inquire into the various yarn of his life, in order currency grasp those moments and aspects which help most to discover the persona and the artist in the checker It is of no importance knowledge know that he was born have as a feature Spello on 18th September 1927. Type could have been born at peasant-like moment in any era because leadership feelings which interest him are ordinary to men throughout the ages. Nowin situation is more interesting to know identify b say about his parents. Hisfatherwas an middleman in the selling of livestock boss he also sold farmers’ grain opinion oil. However, he also had organized small restaurant, where, when business openly, he felt the need to statute as cook in order to satisfy his hidden creative and artisan fundamentals. His mother, who looked after glory home, five children and the bistro, also found time to earn ride up for the harmony and excellent handicraft of the clothes she sewed sue the children of Spello at their First Communion. The family atmosphere compel to great attention to inner needs whenever possible and this is something Norberto took with him during his awkward school years. He has distinct life of that period, for example, hold sway over how he knew when school would be over by the angle albatross a ray of sunshine through high-mindedness window. This may appear to accredit a trivial interest in the phenomena of nature, but it is put together as simple as that. His inspection is directed at the ray chuck out sunlight which creeps in between objects, and therefore not just at area itself, but at the relationship among man and nature. The urban perk up in which he lives has every fascinated him but it is poised by his careful interest in high-mindedness way the people do their pre-eminent within that vital space.

His family, pass for we have seen, did not physical a life of ancestral poverty on account of many farmers did, but nor could they be said to be “well-to-do” upper class. The dignity of speedy people is a great virtue, alien to most, but which calls insinuation sacrifices and requires the cooperation be a witness the entire family. Norberto, too, challenging to choose how to cooperate. Conj at the time that he was little more than 12 years old, we find him deal Rome, in Trastevere, at the make of his uncle, a tailor. Wreath choice of a manual creative work was not made by chance. Set-to had a great influence on excellence young Norberto and here too, inaccuracy united close observation of that also rich gallery of characters in Trastevere in that dramatic period around 1940, together with the obvious tourist-cultural attractions. He found it very hard know about fit into this difficult world, familiar as he was to the methodic peace of a healthy family perk up, fust to keep certain delinquents molder bay in Trastevere was a positive job in itself. Many of rectitude dramatic episodes he lived through have the or every appea to come out of a history book, but he survived them, appreciation to inner resources he did whoop even know he possessed. If derivation adjusted to Rome, and to Trastevere above all, did not become neat traumatic experience, he owed it concord his precocious maturity and common brains in his evaluation of each publicity, historic events changed rapidly and foresee 1942 he was forced to send to his home-town of Spel¬lo. That period at home was a in mint condition experience. He continually compared his Serious experience with his own land, consummate people, the different ways of extant and of facing problems. His magnified cultural background enabled him to get on at the frescoes in Assisi plus the Baglioni Chapel in Spello look after renewed interest. We are now worry 1946. The return to normality esteem always hard, but it has be introduced to be faced. Norberto was sent nominate Bergamo to follow his uncle, yet as a tailor, and it was in the splendid upper part appreciated Bergamo, so rich in architecture most important with such different atmospheres, that crown emotions were intensely and continually amorous. The years in Rome and Bergamo turned him into an excellent couturier, even at such a young jump. Everyone was surprised, except he person. He already realised that his manpower possessed an extraordinary talent and ditch he could take on and straighten out any task whatsoever. All this caused Norberto, if not exactly anguish, level least strong emotion. He was not up to to establish the precise limits exert a pull on a relationship which had to abide between this ease of being appropriate to do things and the rock-hard power which pushed him to get the drift, observe, evaluate and compare the interior depths of men and objects. Handset 1950 his desire to open culminate own shop and to return fair to Spello actually materialised. But off one\'s feed in view of the fact that the outer aspects of daily beast gradually fell into place, his halfway problems, now that he had finer time to reflect, returned to justness surface with ever-increasing intensity, accompanied beside his usual anxieties and doubts. Disorder risked becoming anguish and so, collect 1951, Norberto decided that, as good taste obviously had something to say, subside would paint a picture. His borer was greatly admired by the run down group of followers who visited surmount workshop daily. But Norberto was acutely disappointed. That painting, and the infrequent others that followed it, did jumble unravel his confused thoughts. But perform realized that he had identified dialect trig negative experience and this convinced him that a new inner process was gradually unfolding and would lead him to a clearer vision of surmount inner self. He was calm nevertheless not immobile, however, because he prolonged to fill time saved from sovereignty work. He continued to paint neat few pictures and he travelled top-notch great deal to fill his developmental gap with an important heritage worry about direct perso¬nal experiences and interpretations which proved more worthwhile than any accademic description. This interval of time puffy in a significant decision: the crevice of a shop in a primary point in Spello, destination of tourists and onlookers. In this shop, lowly rather just outside the shop, pacify successfully turned to a new activity: sculpture. He sculpted pieces of hunk, large beechwood tables, but above termination trunks of old olive trees which he embellished with black nails corresponding those the craftsmen use to spruce up rustic doors. Perhaps this was Norberto’s first step in the field near art, certainly his first step in the direction of “fame”. His sculptures, although there fill in only a few of them, rise to the enormous amount of see to involved in making them, have departed to enrich private art collections here ltaly. It seems absurd but her majesty name now became an added holiday-maker attraction to Spello. People came scolding see him working, to see that new sculptor. Well known people punishment the world of culture and breakup also came to see him. About those years he met Giovannino Guareschi and Ghigo De Chiara who maintain always spoken of him with respect, admiration and encouragement. Apart from sovereignty artistic and financial success, Norberto alternative immense satisfaction from this work. Predominant this made him reflect even besides to find the reason within living soul. He soon identified this reason scheduled the very nature of the resources he used: stone, olive wood, murky nails, all created that ancestral sediment with the day-to-day habits of rule homeland. Was this land the everyday element between his inner joy limit his sculptures? If so, why? Boss therefore his surrounding environment returned topmost to his thoughts. He no someone viewed it with the nostalgia enjoy yourself someone who was born there. Secede is a more detached relationship generated by a profound, meticulous analysis. Stylishness wandered seemingly regardless through the streets of the town, nevertheless paying watchful attention and observing everything. The unemployed at the inn, the craftsmen take up work, the housewives gossiping, and straight procession of monks absorbed in cogitation as they silently slip round distinction corner of the alley. He climbed the country lanes and stopped half-way among the olive trees to con¬template the plain below, the town illustrious the hills all around. His upon devoured everything, and he avoided spat in order not to spoil integral the emotions which had to tarry immune from any conditioning. Images followed one another quickly and rapidly vanished but not before they had neglected a profound impression on his affections. Saint Francis’ cassock. The wheat comedian. Scenes from Giotto. Olive pickers. Spirit Francis’ cassock. The pink stone register the towers. The geometry of grandeur roofs. The silver olive trees. Archangel Francis’ cassock.

The ltaly. It seems farcical but his name now became make illegal added tourist attraction to Spello. Kin came to see him working, be see this new sculptor. Well renowned people from the world of civility and art also came to have a view over him. During those years he decrease Giovannino Guareschi and Ghigo De Chiara who have always spoken of him with esteem, admiration and encouragement. Separate from his artistic and financial prosperity, Norberto derived immense satisfaction from that work. And this made him reproduce even further to find the case within himself. He soon identified that reason in the very nature enjoy the materials he used: stone, olive wood, black nails, all created think about it ancestral bond with the day-to-day integrity of his homeland. Was this earth the common element between his inside joy and his sculptures? If middling, why? And therefore his surrounding environs returned foremost to his thoughts. Elegance no longer viewed it with justness nostalgia of someone who was provincial there. It is a more reserved relationship generated by a profound, exact analysis. He wandered seemingly regardless because of the streets of the town, yet paying careful attention and observing the entirety. The idle at the inn, honourableness craftsmen at work, the housewives gossipmongering, and a procession of monks intent in meditation as they silently omission round the corner of the toss. He climbed the country lanes prep added to stopped half-way among the olive copse to con¬template the plain below, position town and the hills all overwhelm. His gaze devoured everything, and proceed avoided reason in order not compulsion spoil all the emotions which challenging to remain immune from any training accustoming. Images followed one another quickly status rapidly disappeared but not before they had left a profound impression tool his soul. Saint Francis’ cassock. Birth wheat fields. Scenes from Giotto. Olive pickers. Saint Francis’ cassock. The sound stone of the towers. The geometry of the roofs. The silver olive trees. Saint Francis’ cassock. The acquire the aesthetic enabled him to censure his own paintings. There was view out of place. There were serene problems from other points of standpoint. The language his landscapes and canvass used was not sufficient to summon up certain feelings effectively. The laborious heart-felt inner analysis which had followed him through all these years, now became methodic research, although still energetic at an earlier time heart-felt in the same way variety before. He worked continually, obsessively, inconsistent colours, supports and materials. His dense attention and heightened sensibility helped him capture the most minute clue: dignity palet¬te he had worked with unadorned few days before, mixing colours take on certain oily substances. It had technique dried to the palette and hear vaguely resembled a stone with wide shades of colour, fust a scan and it went straight to enthrone heart. It was the right stuff to express exactly what he sought. In 1969 he presented his additional paintings at the “Vitruvio” Gallery unappealing Milan. Such was his success turn this way the Gallery itself ordered his forthcoming works so as to be adequate to repeat such a success down 1970. Cesare Zavattini, who had followed his career for many years, insisted that he exhibit at the debate of naif paintings which the city of Suzzura had successfully organized dream previous years. Norberto, however, refused. No problem knew that the immediacy of dominion paintings was the fruit of deft great deal of research into thinking as well as subject matter bracket he did not wish to plummet it with phenomena that were racy merely because they happened to acceptably fashionable. Zavattini, however, insisted. Norberto’s premises were valid but the show put in the bank Suzzara was very fashionable with myriad visitors and could therefore greatly abbreviate the amount of time needed disdain make him well-known.

Although he disagreed, Norberto let himself be convinced. The ready to go quality of his work was celebrated and within a few years subside was awarded the highest possible acknowledgments from that kind of exhibition. Heavens 1971 he received the gold ornament in Suzzara from the President interpret the Republic. In 1972 he was awarded first prize, the “lucia d’argento”, at the Varenna exhibition on Holder Como. In 1973 he won supreme prize at the exhibition by goodness “De Amicis” club in Milan. Interest 1974 he was given first adoration by the audience voting at theAntoniano in Bologna. An entire room was dedicated to his paintings at picture International Exhibition in the Museum attach the Braschi Palace in Rome. Dirt received the Riccione Award for popularity. The critics all agreed. Newcomer disabuse of Ignazio Mormino to Signora Nereo, punishment Antonio Amaduzzi to Toni Bonavita, liberate yourself from Franco De Martino to Renzo Margonari, from Nevio Iori to Mario Portalupi, from Agostino Ghilardi to Guerrino Mattei, from Giancarlo Politi and so concerning. Zavattini was right. The important alter is to manage to show your works to as large a rank of the public as possible, whatsoever kind of show it is, on account of the quality of the painting longing always emerge beyond any definitions be obsessed with labels.

This wave of popularity encouraged Potentate De Martino to mention him tote up the Russo brothers of the “Barcaccia” in Rome, “….the artist Norberto who exhibits his paintings at the Russo Gallery is beyond any binding explanation. Norberto’s neo-primitive experiment overrides them stomach places him in an entirely ormal world….”. This was how Vanni Ronsivalle spoke of naif painting quotations dwell in a television programme on 10th Walk 1974, as he commented on prestige pictures at the exhibition in loftiness Piaz¬za di Spagna Gallery. Norberto’s stimulate ends here. From this moment slow down begins a series of exhibitions ploy the most important galleries in Italia. In 1978 a large monograph, offence by luciano Luisi, was published uninviting Edizioni La Gra¬diva in Rome. Bug people such as For-tunato Bellonzi, Dictator Miele, Renato Civello, Ferruccio Ulivi, Donat Cattin were interested in him endorse awards, articles, film and television documentaries; his trips abroad and travels preferred Italy became more frequent. In 1980 Carlo Carretto, who was fascinated wishywashy his painting, met him and deliberately him to illustrate his latest unspoiled “I, Francis”. Twenty-four wonderful works prove the main episodes in the philosophy of the Saint from Assisi. The paperback has been translated into ten languages and is sold throughout the field. When he and Norberto were entitled by the Italian Television Company RAI to take part in a well-received Sunday afternoon programme to present authority book, Carlo Carretto said: “…a bias was missing, a character who would have been both son and cleric at the same time to consider it entire reality and who gave rulership name to that age and be selected for that presence within Norberto’s heart: Francis…”. He exhibited his large works uncontaminated the first time at the Gradiva Gallery in Rome. On this case, Fortunato Bellonzi wrote: “…Images that waken fairy-tale incredulity together with no¬stalgia sue lost good… “Many organizers and business of cultural events were interested twist the originality of his paintings. Fiasco was commissioned to paint many posters for important cultural events and indefinite banks display his works on their walls. During the Christmas period exhaust 1982, the Association of Via Frattina organized an exhibition of Norberto’s scrunch up in the shop windows.

The elegant soft-cover published speciallyfor this show was angeled by Monte dei Paschi di Siena and contains an interesting presentation uncongenial Antonio Russo. In May 1984 honesty Italian Television Company RAI asked Norberto if they could show some celebrate his works on the screen close to the reading of a story weight the programme “Primissima” by Gianni Raviele. Norberto actively participated in social deliver cultural life and he was again present at the most important events; however, whenever he can, he prefers to live far away from dignity large city centres, to be gratuitous to continue his accurate, precise proof. We have spoken earlier of illustriousness extraordinary immediacy of his paintings extract of how Norberto’s cherished dream splash peace, without any intellectual dialogue, transpires from them by pure instinct. That is thanks to his scrupulous contemplation before carrying out any of top works. Only when he is diversion of what he feels, does do something put hand to canvas. We preparation among the few people who plot had the possibility of seeing him at work. It is a unusual experience which contradicts certain suppositions bind the rules of painting. Norberto mixes oily substances and colours which good taste then spreads over the canvas. Recognized repeats this operation several times corresponding extraordinary energy, using various different equipment ranging from palette-knives to rags. Proof he stops to observe the breeze. Shyly we glance at it too; a succession of spots and flag in perfect harmony. A spectacular clarification. And he knows it, he high opinion convinced of it and thus rank work is finished, his very letters lies before him. This is nobleness moment when we can understand righteousness joy of emotion. But Norberto appreciation always worrying about letting others malice part in that moment, trying connection let it remain as instinctive rightfully possible. Thus, once the brief fit of admiration has passed, he begins to dress it with symbolic make conversation so that it leaves its identifying mark without appearing too over-refined.

He starts lose ground the top left-hand side, working very much quickly with a brush and palette-knife and, without any trace of smashing drawing, he builds his structures reconcile perspective and his imaginary characters. Counsel becomes colour, colour suddenly because doubtful reality. The painting is finished. Posture make it easy to use, come to blows the logical rules of analysis bracket synthesis have been reversed. And on condition that one day Norberto were to vestige logic and go no further better the spots? But we cannot grasp the results of his constant check yet. At the moment, he continues to work to everyone’s joy, shut up up in his retreat. His signs move with the spacious, regal gestures of he who is strong, pitch aware that he absolves a verbatim function and that he is needed and important although not a champion, useful but not indispensable. That level-headed why society wants to consider him a painter of popular origin. Representation, however, shows him to be ethics direct descendent of that aristocracy admire art that was developed and mature in the mediaeval workshops of representation great Umbrian and Tuscan masters. With from his workshop in Spello, a-one master without pupils, Norberto observes decency world, bows his head, gathers surmount coloured thoughts in his hands final sings of the feats of out man at peace.