Contemporary Italian Painters:
Lido Bettarini
At the age of 19, he starts studying at the Academy of Arts (accademia delle Belle Arti) in Florence. One year later, in 1960, he receives the diploma of an art master. He starts his artistic career doing ceramics, and paints very little during this time.
He comes to know the poet and critic Paolo Lazzeri. A deep friend-ship develops. Lazzeri keeps encouraging Bettarini to paint, but it is difficult for Bettarini to overcome the discouragement of that time.
From 1962 on, Bettarini dedicates himself fully to painting. However, he does not succeed in selling but one painting.
After suffering from artistic discouragement and, ultimately, a nervous breakdown, Lido Bettarini had his first successful exhibition in April 11th, 1964 in the "Galleria Martelli". The following september, he organised another exhibition at Forte dei Marmi (Galleria "Il traguardo") and that was equally successfull.
Lido Bettarini was born in Florence in 1937. As the son of a poor family he starts to work as a decorator in ceramics, in order to be able to finance his art studies. During this time he visits for the first time the studio of painter Gino Pozzi.
In '65, two national newspapers, Il Messaggero e La Notte, write an article about him while the Italian TV, Rai, makes a filmed report on his paintings.
From then on, he begins to exhibit his works on a regular basis all over Italy and then throughout Europe and in Montreal.
In 86, Bettarini is charged by the Vatican with performing the official portrait of the Pope Jean Paul II.
Today, his paintings can be found in Rome, at the Vatican Museum, in Madrid at the Prado and in the Museo d'Arte Moderna in Montecatini.
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