Painter born in Zafferana Etnea (Catania), Sciuti worked under the scenographer Giuseppe Destefani, ornamental painter Giuseppe Rapisardi, and the painter Antonino Gandolfo.By the age of 18, he was hoping to travel to either Florence or Rome to study, but an eruption of Etna destroyed his father’s farms, and left his family impoverished. Giuseppe was forced to seek work under a local decorative painter, Giuseppe Spina (Acireale) for 11 years during which he produced some of his early masterpieces such as “Saint Joseph with child” and the “Eruzione dell’ Etna”.
His work captured the attention of local authorities and thanks to a grant provided by the city of Catania, Sciuti was able to travel to Rome and Florence improving his technique -” The Widow and The Betrayed”, purchased by the City Government of Catania, was painted during this time. Sciuti returned to Catania for a couple of years completing profitable works of decoration. He then left for Naples, where he displayed a “Temptation” at the annual exhibition of the Società Promotrice, “You mothers of the country”, “The prisoners after the capitulation of Castelnuovo” and an episode during the sack of Catania, exhibited at the Mostra annuale della Società Promotrice of Naples. He also exhibited in Genoa the “Domestic peace” (1870).
In 1875 from Naples Sciuti moves to Rome, and the next year he wins a public contest to design frescoes for the Hall of the Provincial Council of Sassari, consisting of two historical paintings: “Proclamation of the Sassarese Republic” and the “Triumphal entry of Gian Maria Angiol to Sassari”. He has also painted: A Geography Lesson (also called Le Gioie della Buona Mamma 1877), exhibited at the Melbourne Exposition. In 1896, he returned to paint the ceiling a cupola of the Basilica della Collegiata of Catania and the large work of “Benessere e le Artie”, now in Zafferan Etnea. In 1902-1905, Sciuti painted the ceilings of seven rooms in the Palazzo Calanna of Acreage and frescoed the Private chapel of Baron Pennisi of Floristella.
In 1905-1907, Sciuti began to fresco the Cathedral of Acirea alongside his pupil Primo Panciroli. His work included the “Orchestra degli Angeli”, the “Choir of Virgins”, the “Glory of the Angels carrying the symbols of Santa Venera”, an “Annunciation”, “Faith”, and “Holy Father and Prophets”. He also decorated the Church of the Holy Heart of Jesus, and of the ceiling of the Salone del City Palace in Acireale (1942).
Read More:
1. Wikipedia, https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Sciuti
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