Dante V. De Florio
Dante V. de Florio was born in Italy on November 7th, 1921, in a little medieval town called Maddaloni. He received Art education in his hometown under the guidance of Professor Alfonso Castaldi, an artist and teacher of great reputation. Continued studies in Caserta, and in Naples at the Academy of Fine Art, where he also studied sculpture. In later years he exhibited paintings and drawings in Italy, Albania, Yugoslavia and Germany.
In 1947 he immigrated to the United States. Became an American Citizen, and continued Art studies at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts in Newark, New Jersey, under John R. Grabach, NA; also at the New York Academy of Art, New York City, where he attended a special 15-week course on the anatomy of the horse from actual dissection. His paintings pencil drawings and pastels have been exhibited in various Art Galleries in New York and New Jersey.
Over the years, however, he dedicated more time to sculpture, and has produced a series of fine bronzes. In 1979 his bronzes alone were exhibited at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, New Jersey. In 1980 his bronzes were part of the Roman Bronzes Works, Inc. sculpture show at the International Art Expo at the Coliseum in New York City. In 1984 and again in following years he exhibited at the Salmagundi Club, New York City; Nabisco Art '85 in East Hanover, New Jersey.
Art Galleries exhibiting Mr. de Florio's paintings and bronzes include the William E. Tolley Art Gallery in Washington, DC; Art Stop Gallery, Bedminister, NJ; Nathans Galleries in West Paterson, NJ; The Merril Art Gallery, Kansas City, MO; and J.N. Bartfield Galleries in New York City. In 1986 Mr. De Florio's western sculptures were featured in the Annual Report of the Overland Park Bancshares, Inc., Kansas City, MO.
Dante V. de Florio's paintings and bronzes are enriching the private collections of people in the United States, Europe and Asia. Among others: Mr. Konisha, Chairman of Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan; Mr. Fritz Gerber, Chief Executive of Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Basle, Switzerland; Commander Gaetano Alfano and Chief Warrant Officer Vittorio Porreca, both of the Italian Navy, Rome, Italy; Mr. Irwin Lerner, President of Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, NJ; Mr. Bernard Ames, President of Walter Kidde & Co., Clifton, NJ; United States Senator Frank Lautenberg, Washington, DC; former President of United States of America Ronald W. Reagan, Washington, DC
We morn the passing of Dante de Florio who left us in the fall of 2009. The art world has lost a truly great sculptor.
(904) 261-2535 5047 First Coast Hwy, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 e-mail: info@waterwheelgallery.com
