Biography
Born in Calenzano on September 24, 1923, Mario Caciotti graduated in technical drawing from the Leonardo Da Vinci Industrial School in Rifredi, where he studied under Oreste Zuccoli.
In 1941, after joining the Galileo Mechanical Workshops as a draftsman, he began painting — encouraged by some colleagues who shared his interest in art, as well as by Ennio and Gino Pozzi, with whom he exhibited at Villa Guicciardini, and by Umberto Mannini.
However, he had to combine painting with other activities: after moving to Sesto Fiorentino, he helped his father, a haulier, and during the 1950s he modeled and produced ceramic sculptures.
From 1960 onward, he was able to devote himself entirely to painting. Up until 1970, he took part — often receiving recognition — in numerous regional and national art competitions and group exhibitions: in Florence in 1961 (“National Portrait Exhibition” and “National Art and Sport Exhibition”); in Rome in 1964 (“First National Review of Figurative Arts” – Palazzo delle Esposizioni); in Milan, Piacenza, and Bologna in 1968 (“National Exhibition of Sacred Art” – Antoniano); in Rome in 1967 (“Third National Review of Figurative Arts” – Palazzo delle Esposizioni); and in Dizzasco in 1968 (Sacred Art Biennale).
His first solo exhibition took place in 1958 at the Proconsolo Gallery in Florence, followed by another in Sesto Fiorentino in 1962. In 1972, he was welcomed by Giovanni March into the Toscana Arte group in Livorno.
Caciotti created several works for public institutions, such as the large panel Night Interior of a Bar (now in Espelkamp), and many religious pieces, including the Nativity in the Church of St. Joseph the Worker in Sesto Fiorentino; the Way of the Cross in the Holy Family Church in Prato; The Last Supper for the Church of the Ascension of Our Lord in Florence; several canvases that, by request of Monsignor Antonio Innocenti, adorn the Most Holy Sacrament headquarters in the Vatican; and another Way of the Cross in the portico of the Sanctuary of Boccadirio.
In 1985, his paintings were shown alongside those of Mannini and his friend Otello Fratoni at the exhibition “Five Painters of Calenzano,” organized by the Calenzano Department of Culture and curated by Alessandro Parronchi and Giancarlo Gentilini.
In 1988, under the patronage of the Department of Culture of Prato, he exhibited forty works in the Medieval Hall of St. Jacopo in Prato; in 1990, he held a solo exhibition at the Palazzo Pretorio in Sesto Fiorentino.
In 1996, a monograph curated by Giancarlo Gentilini was published — later included in the libraries of the Pecci Museum in Prato, MoMA in New York, and the Prado Museum in Madrid.
In 2006, the Municipality of Calenzano organized and hosted a solo exhibition entitled “Genius Loci.” Through this event, Caciotti came to the attention of the curator of the Contemporary Folk Art Hurm Museum in Savannah, Georgia, which in 2008 permanently acquired about twenty of his works.
That same year, at the initiative of the museum’s curators, he became one of the featured artists in a traveling exhibition titled “Tuscany and Its People,” which ran for two years and was presented in major museums across the United States — from Miami to New York and Philadelphia.
In 2008, a series of paintings on the theme of “wild beasts” was exhibited at the Museo della Specola in Florence. In 2009, the Sala delle Colonne in Pontassieve hosted his solo exhibition “An Expressionist Naïf.”
Since 2010, the Municipality of Calenzano has hosted a permanent exhibition of his drawings and paintings in the town hall and council chamber.
Mario Caciotti passed away at his home in Sesto Fiorentino on February 18, 2019, at the age of 96.
The final years of his life were devoted to reflection and introspection — a quiet time during which the artist revisited his paintings, adding final touches as if to bring closure to a long creative journey in constant evolution.
He leaves behind a rich and meaningful artistic legacy, now lovingly preserved by his children and grandchildren. His works, distinguished by bold and vibrant brushstrokes, convey the full depth of a life intensely lived through art.
Note:
Since 1969, Caciotti has devoted himself to recovering works and records related to the otherwise dispersed activity of Umberto Mannini. Thanks to his dedication, one of Mannini’s masterpieces is now permanently exhibited at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
His painting:
Caciotti’s works are rich in color and marked by vigorous brushstrokes through which he captures the details of faces, nature, religion, and the life of his beloved Tuscany. His early landscapes feature amber and soft tones, while his later paintings evolve toward stronger colors and more energetic strokes.
