Ferrara, 1896 – Milan, 1956

Luigi Filippo Tibertelli, known as Filippo de Pisis, was born in Ferrara on 11 May 1896. His studies were entrusted to tutors who looked after his education at home. Around 1904, he was initiated into drawing under the guidance of professor and painter Odoardo Domenichini. After graduating from high school, he devoted himself to studying particular cultural aspects of his city, but was also interested in reading the avant-garde magazines La voce and Lacerba.
The obligatory trip to Venice for a military tour, following which he was reformed, opened his eyes to the colours of the lagoon and its greatest artistic exponents.

He then moved to Bologna, where he attended the Faculty of Letters, approaching Futurist poetics and coming into contact with Marino Moretti, Umberto Saba, Giorgio de Chirico and his brother Alberto Savinio and, epistolary letters, with Ardengo Soffici and Tristan Tzara. Back in Ferrara, he painted some metaphysical compositions and landscapes of the Ferrara countryside.

In 1919, within the Ronda group in Bologna, he met Cardarelli and frequented Morandi. In March 1920, the Casa d’Arte Bragaglia organised his first exhibition. Ferrara no longer satisfied him and he moved to Rome, taking the decision to dedicate himself to painting: here he frequented the environment of Valori Plastici.

His stay in Rome marked an important moment in de Pisis’ life, both for the evolution of his painting and his cultural choices. During this period, he worked on defining his own figurative language, beginning to elaborate his characteristic still lifes. He participated in the III Roman Biennale in 1925, exhibiting together with de Chirico and Donghi.

Shortly afterwards, he left for Paris where he began to engage with 19th century painters and contemporaries. He painted a lot in this period, Parisian views, free copies from the antique, still lifes, flowers, nude studies, going beyond the Impressionist lesson. His painting immediately found success in the Parisian environment, opening the doors to exhibitions and art shows all over Europe.

He participated in the Venice Biennials of 1948 and 1954. He painted until 1953 until his precarious health allowed him to do so; 2 April 1956 he died in Milan.

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© DE PISIS FILIPPO, by SIAE