# Gianni Benvenuti

Giovanni "Gianni" Benvenuti (26 June 1926 – 15 September 2005),commonly known as Benvenuti, was an Italian artist whose career spanned multiple decades and diverse art forms, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, illustration, and cartooning. His work earned international recognition across Europe and the United States.

## Early life and education

Giovanni Benvenuti was born on 26 June 1926 in Pisa, Italy to Lida (née Pistelli) and Francesco Benvenuti. During World War II, his family relocated to Milan, where he completed his studies at the Vittorio Veneto Scientific Lyceum. He later attended the University of Milan, where he studied architecture, a discipline that would influence his work in the visual arts.

## Career
### Illustrator

Benvenuti began his artistic career as cartoonist for the Italian publishing house Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, with an adaptation of L'Ultimo dei Mohicani for in their comic Topolino. He continued working for Mondadori, illustrating Gli Albi d'Oro (Golden Books) short stories. By the 1950s, Benvenuti gained prominence as an illustrator of children's books. He illustrated over fifty books. His works included The Bible, Winnie the Pooh, Don Quixote, Grimms' Fairy Tales, and Mother Goose. These works were translated into numerous languages. Benvenuti became a well-regarded figure in Italian art history, featured in the Italian National Catalogue of Sculpture, the History of Italian Art in the 1900s, and the Illustrations and Cartoonists of the 1950s.

### Move to Pietrasanta and sculpture

In 1975, Benvenuti moved to Pietrasanta, a town renowned for its tradition in marble and bronze sculpting. There, he shifted his focus to sculpture, a medium that would define much of his later work. He played a key role in founding Scultori e Artigiani in un Centro Storico, an annual sculpture exhibition in Pietrasanta, which showcased works from some of Europe's most prominent sculptors. Benvenuti continued to direct this exhibition until 1980.

### Move to the United States, establishing Harris Benvenuti Inc.

In 1980, Benvenuti moved to the United States, where he married artist Elfie Harris. In 1981, they established Harris Benvenuti Inc., a design studio and gallery in Philadelphia. The studio, located in a converted American Legion building, became a center for the couple's artistic endeavors. During his years in the United States his work centered around sculpure, painting, and design projects.

### Artistic style and philosophy

Benvenuti's artistic style evolved throughout his career. His early works were more monochromatic and figurative, while his later pieces were more colorful and abstract. Similarly, his sculptures, which initially "were jagged with aggressive lines", became more simplified and abstract over time.

## Death and legacy
### Death

Benvenuti died from stomach cancer on 15 September 2005 at his home in Philadelphia. He was survived by his wife, Elfie Harris.

### Legacy

Benvenuti is recognized as a significant figure in 20th-century Italian art. His work, encompassing painting, sculpture, printmaking, illustration, and cartooning, has been exhibited in major galleries across Italy, France, and the United States. His pieces are held in private collections and museums, including the Museum of Modern Italian Art in Milan.
Following his death in 2005, Benvenuti's wife, Elfie Harris, initiated plans to establish a museum in their former studio in Germantown, Philadelphia, to honor his work and ensure future generations can appreciate his contributions to the arts.

## Selected illustrated books

Benvenuti is well known for children's book illustration. Some of these books include:
* Goulden, Shirley (1950). Tales from the Arabian Nights. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Grosset & Dunlap. ASIN B002ESBQMM.
* King, Léon (1959). The Enchanted Princess and Other Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ISBN 978-1258520427.
* Anderson, Hans Christina (1959). The Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tale Book. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ASIN B00118XENK.
* Milan, Fabbri (1960). Japanese Fairy Tales A Giant Golden Book. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ASIN B0011809JW.
* Pyle, Howard (1962). The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
* Dalmais, Anne-Marie (1972). 101 Animal Stories, A Golden Book. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ASIN B000TFQJ1K.
* Dalmais, Anne-Marie (1972). Mr. Porcupine's Marvelous Flying Machine (A Golden Book). Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ISBN 978-1122705882.
* Ponsot, Marie (1973). Russian Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ASIN B000H8AAU0.
* Carruth, Jane (1977). The Golden Book of Grimms Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press.
* Rhymes from Mother Goose. New York: Illustrated by Benvenuti. Knopf. 1980. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
* Dalmais, Anne-Marie (1972). Mr. Porcupine's Marvelous Flying Machine (A Golden Book). Illustrated by Benvenuti. Golden Press. ISBN 978-1122705882.