Antonio Diego Voci
Antonio Diego Voci was an Italian painter and sculptor. He was an internationally collected figurative artist with the largest group of owners of his works residing in Switzerland, England, Germany, Italy, Canada and the United States; as well as various works scattered the world over. Although constantly drawing or painting from childhood to the day he succumbed to lung cancer, Diego's most productive period was the last quarter century of his life which began when he met Helga Drössler in January 1960 in Paris. A significant turning point in Diego's career, Diego said, "My life took on new meaning. I became more." Helga who became Diego's wife, lover, best friend and confidant, published seven chapters of her life with Diego on Artifact Collectors. Within those 25 abundant years Diego created 4000 oils, mostly on canvas, and many thousands of drawings.
"Each movement had its great masters, but there are very few who could create art unconfined by a single style like Diego." – Christopher Voci
Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, Realism and Fauvism all experienced the hand of Diego Voci who was fascinated by the beauty and mystery of the face and figure, whether the female body nude or in ballet, or the etched lines of life's hardships in an old man's face, or the grace and power of the horse. Diego's versatility was his strength. Diego not only saw and realized human frailty, the desire and longing of the human to be something more, seeking but not to find; but also he understood man's animal instinct to overpower, offset by the object's instinct to resist.
1920–1938: early life
Antonio Diego Voci, the youngest of 3 brothers was born Antonio Innocenzo Voci on 10 August 1920 in the mountainous region near Catanzaro, Italy, in the small village of Gasperina, to Giuseppantonio Voci and Arcangela Messina Voci, a Catholic family of modest means. From childhood Diego felt compelled to draw as constantly and effortlessly as he drew a breath, endowed by nature to do both.At an early age Diego took charge of his own life direction. Diego proudly boasted his independent, I'll-do-it-myself spirit when at age eight, he carved his own religious statue when his father would not buy the one he wanted in a Rome store window. Diego was called on in school for art, design and decoration projects. By age 12 he was awarded a year scholarship to a design school. Diego proudly recalled that in his youth religious artist Antonino Calcagnadoro let him help paint a church fresco. Diego studied sculpture and painting for three years at Lycee d'Art, followed by studies of Greek and Latin, as well as tailoring.
All three Voci boys were sent to Reggio to study tailoring. In December 1920, four months after Diego's birth, their father took the oldest brother Vincenzo, age 15, to Philadelphia where they both worked as tailors. For 3 ½ years Messina Arcangela raised "Toto", her pet name for Diego, until her husband came back to Gasperina with enough money to open a dry goods store. In 1930, Vincenzo returned to Italy to marry 17-year-old Anna Spadea, whom he took back to Philadelphia continuing as one of the area's finest tailors and designer for Pincus Manufacturing. The middle brother, Giuseppe became a professional musician and played in the Rome Orchestra.
Diego sold his first painting at age 18. Typical of most parents, Giuseppantonio, encouraged his son to follow in his traditional profession, "Toto , the God of Art does not give bread." But the compulsion in Diego for art was too strong, the pleasure too rewarding, "'I was born to paint." And paint he did in the thousands, and drawings beyond count. In addition to his vast array of artworks, Diego would also design and make his own clothes as an adult, and for the ladies of his liking.
Diego relied on himself for money. All members of the Voci family agree Diego never received financing from the family, and that he never worked at any occupation other than art. Upon venturing out on his own Diego summoned his practical side to employ his art talent to works of art he knew the public would quickly buy, to raise money or trade for food, bed, paint and canvas, and to finance his study, to expand knowledge, experience and skill. Also to enjoy pleasures in life, and sports. His time to create his own masterworks would come later.
1939–1948: school and WWII
Art schools and World War II military service in the Italian Army would consume Diego's life through 1948. At 19 Diego enrolled at the Florence Academy of Arts in San Marco Piazza. At 20 his art studies were interrupted by World War II.1945 with the war over, Diego then returned to the Florence Academy of Arts for 3 years studying the classic styles of sculpture and painting of Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo and many others.
World War II POW: art was the key to survival
During World War II, Diego was sent to the front lines as an Italian Army soldier to fight against the Germans. Conditions were horrible. When he came home on leave Diego's mother Messina Arcangela had to boil her son's uniform to get rid of the lice infestation. On his return Diego was captured and sent to a German Prisoner of War Camp in North Germany. With luck or ingenuity or both, Diego the survivor befriended the German Camp Commander who was so impressed with Diego's artistic talents, he moved Diego to his quarters to live and make paintings and caricatures. Diego enjoyed those privileges until the end of the war. It is generally believed that Diego also befriended an American Officer who was a prisoner in the same camp which led to the important contribution the American Military Community would play in Diego's career providing a reliable source of income. Diego's works were likely signed "Voci", as it was not until 1965/6 the "Diego" signature was prominently used.In 1948 Diego moved to Paris to further his education at Ecole des Beaux-Arts. In Paris Diego learned "the real academy is the café, study people, meet so many artists."
Diego thrived on camaraderie, as did other artists before him, such as Amedeo Modigliani, both "figurative" artists, both Italian born, both migrated to Paris. Among Diego's many facets was a drive never to be poor, never to live a tormented drug ridden life of Amedeo Modigliani who at age 35 "died in Paris exacerbated by poverty only one exhibition to his credit." or the tortured life of Vincent van Gogh who died at age 37, with only one painting purchased in his lifetime. Diego greatly admired the exceptional work of both artists, but, unlike both artists who found few buyers for their work, in their lifetime, Diego did for his.
Diego's influences
Professor Felice Carena, who was one of Italy's great religious artists displayed in Museum of Modern Religious Art in Rome, was a mentor for Diego. Diego in his youth also worked as an assistant to Antonino Calcagnadoro, who was known for his church frescos. Diego admired Renoir, Cézanne, Degas, Modigliani and Van Gogh. There was a reluctance in Diego to pinpoint his early inspiration. When asked in 1973 Diego said, "Michelangelo is the greatest. There are so many. Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Rembrandt. And Miró, Chagall, Picasso. So many."1949–1959 the painter explorer
Venice
The powerful urge was deep in Diego's DNA to explore the world and its people to capture in art all that it offered. During Diego's extensive travels he said "I was always painting, always learning...to fill a need to express."1949 Diego established his home base in Venice, where he would paint, travel and return. That need to explore the world took Diego to Spain, Portugal, North Africa, Turkey, England and Scandinavia. Canadian Art Dealer, Joy Gibson Naffouj wrote, "Diego displayed his work often...displaying his work in Torino, Capri and Venice. His first one man show was at the Galleria La Bussula in Torino." In 1951 the city of Venice sponsored a competition, a showcase for Italian artists. Carlo Carrà noted figure of the Futurist movement and arguably the most important Italian artist at the time, won first prize. Diego won second prize. Also, in 1951 Diego had a one-man show in Switzerland and painted for galleries who represented master artists including Rembrandt, Renoir, and Monet. Diego was commissioned to do frescos, sculptures, relief sculptures and canvases by private collections, Italian restaurants, and galleries throughout Europe. After his one-man show in Lugano in 1953, Diego travelled continuously stopping to show in Milan, Rome and Genoa.
First marriage
Also in 1953, Diego met 16-year-old Josiane Schäfer, a ski instructor and daughter of a well-to-do Swiss family, who at 18 would become Mrs. Voci. The Schäfer family owned a mountain cabin for skiing.Diego travels with nephew
In 1956, Diego moved to Wiesbaden, Germany with his first wife Josiane. Diego's American nephew, Anthony Voci, son of Vincenzo, was stationed at Wurzburg U.S. Army Base as a Tank Commander. Tony was impressed that Diego knew the Base Commander and obtained leave time for him. Diego showed Tony the portraits of Officers he was commissioned to do, but said, "That is not art!"Anthony spent much of his free time touring Germany, Switzerland and Northern Italy with Diego. Tony said, "Anytime there was an espresso sign we stopped. Everybody knew Diego. He would sketch the waitress on a napkin and hand it to her. Diego would paint or sketch nearly every waking minute while traveling together."
It is notable that Anthony Voci is the only known person identified to date that is in possession of any art work by Diego from childhood to 1957. Tony recalls on their travels together through Europe, he said "I'm hungry". Diego stopped and said "You are hungry? I paint you something to eat.", and minutes later gave Tony a memento of his time when his uncle played a joke on him. Tony, at 93, is living in Philadelphia where this gift from Diego is displayed.
Another day, Diego swiftly completed a gouache of a Paris "Café Scene" as a second gift to his nephew, also dated 1957, and signed "D. Voci", which Tony since gave to his son, Chris Voci. View serious works by Diego in [|Gallery Section].