The Formative Years in Italy

Cristoforo De Amicis began his training in the studios of Northern Italy. Between 1918 and 1920, he moved through the Albertina Academy in Turin and later the Brera in Milan. These early years were spent learning the fundamentals of line and light. By 1922, he had settled in Milan, a city that would shape much of his later output.

In this period, his focus on nudes and still lifes began to shift under the influence of the Novecento Italiano movement. He participated in the group's second Italian exhibition in 1929 and took part in various international shows. His work during these years often reflected the architectural and decorative interests of the time, leading to a fresco commission for the 5th Esposizione Internazionale delle Arti Decorative e Industriali in Milan in 1933.

Shifting Movements and Styles

The path of his brush was not a straight line. After a period spent experimenting with abstract art, he found himself associated with the Chiarismo movement during the mid-1930s. This era brought him into contact with architects like Pietro Lingeri and Giuseppe Terragni. His presence in the Milanese art scene was noted when the city purchased his Composition at the 7th Esposizione del Sindacato Fascista delle Belle Arti della Lombardia in 1936.

Following the Second World War, a different influence took hold. The work he produced in these later years showed the traces of Paul Cézanne. His interests remained grounded in the physical world, whether through the study of form or the depiction of landscapes.

Later Works and Legacy

In his final decades, De Amicis continued to contribute to the visual fabric of Milan. In 1968, he produced two windows for the structure encasing the dome of Milan Cathedral. His late repertoire included various subjects:

• Portraiture: Works such as the Portrait of Maria vidoni (1966/1967) and Portrait of Carlo Mazzi (1927/1928).
• Landscapes: Pieces like Paesaggio (1968) and Monti a Cannobio.
• Studies of Form: Mixed media and pencil works including Nudo (1982) and Nudo femminile.

He remained in Milan until his death in 1987, leaving behind a body of work that moved from the structured influences of the Novecento to the more personal observations of his later years.