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San Martino is a painting completed in 1932 by Cesare Breveglieri, an Italian artist born in Milan in 1902. The work was acquired by the Cariplo Foundation in connection with the Sarfatti Fellowship of that year, marking recognition of Breveglieri’s artistic achievement during an important phase of his career.
Breveglieri came to painting after working in various professions—as a teacher, clerk, and travelling salesman—while pursuing studies at the Brera Academy’s evening school for craftsmen in Milan. In 1930, he won the Pensionato Sarfatti prize from the Cassa di Risparmio delle Provincie Lombarde with his work Maternità, an award that enabled him to study in Rome and Florence before spending an extended period in Paris. San Martino, created in 1932, reflects the artistic development of this formative period, when Breveglieri was absorbing influences from modern masters including Picasso, Matisse, Maurice Utrillo and Henri Rousseau.
About Cesare Breveglieri
Cesare Breveglieri (1902–1948) was a Milanese painter who devoted himself fully to art from 1928 onward, after initial critical success at the Palazzo de La Permanente in 1929. His work drew inspiration from early modernist painting and the poetic sensibilities of post-Impressionist artists.
Details
- Created: 1932
- Artist: Cesare Breveglieri (Milan, 1902–1948)
- Current collection: Cariplo Foundation
- Acquisition context: Sarfatti Fellowship, 1932
Frequently asked questions
Who was Cesare Breveglieri?
Cesare Breveglieri was an Italian painter born in Milan in 1902. After working various jobs while studying at the Brera Academy, he committed himself entirely to painting in 1928 and quickly gained recognition in the Milanese art world.
How did San Martino enter the Cariplo Foundation collection?
The painting was acquired by the Cariplo Foundation in 1932, following the Sarfatti Fellowship award, which had been won by Breveglieri the previous year with his work Maternità.
What artistic influences shaped Breveglieri’s work?
Breveglieri admired Picasso and Matisse, but felt particularly drawn to Maurice Utrillo and Henri Rousseau, whose poetic sensibilities aligned closely with his own artistic vision.