X-Mas story by Riccardo Licata
Born in Turin, in 1929, Riccardo Licata studied in Venice. Painter, tile setter, sculptor, carver, ceramist, scenographist, he explores and masters many techniques. He taught in prestigious universities in France and Italy. With sixty years of experience, he has shown work in four hundred personal exhibitions and along with other artists in more than five hundred collective exhibitions worldwide. He has received several prizes and awards such as Chevalier of the Order of Arts in France and Italy.
I have discovered the Christmas story by Riccardo Licata long ago by luck. The heirs of a deceased lawyer from Rome could not do much with this kind of art and through a friend I was able to buy this very unique and rare masterpieces. There are 8 glass blocks in which the Christmas story illustrated: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the three kings , the ox and the donkey. This work is extremely demanding and could never be produced by other glass artists in this quality. It can be assumed that it is the first major work of glass art by Riccardo Licata. Each piece has an engraved by hand signature and the year 1952. At the same time his first Biennale and Single-exhibition was held in Venice where he showed glass blocks with underwater worlds. The same glass technique he employed in the coming years for its famous glass blocks-aquariums and fantasy objects that he created together with Gino Cenedese and Alfredo Barbini. For Venini he has created some Murrinenvasen and bowls, this with a continuous Murrinenband in "doppio incalmo" - something in the glass art is the most demanding at all possible.
