Alfonso Canciani (1863-1955)
was a famous Italian-Austrian sculptor working throughout the Viennese Secession period. Canciani was born on December 11th 1863 in Brazzano (province of Gorizia) to Lodovico a stonemason, and Maddalena Coceancig. Canciani initially began his journey working as a stonemason with his father before following his own career enrolling at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna in 1886 at the age of 23. Following on from his education at the Academy he went onto further his education at the Higher School of Sculpture and finally at the Special School finishing in 1896. It was here where he began his illustrious career winning the Rome price for the sketch of a Monument to Dante. The prize consisted of a three year stay in Italy to study. The plaster sketch by Canciani was presented at the III International Exhibition in Venice, Italy in 1899 and also after the Viennese Secession in 1900 winning the Reichel Prize, regarded as one of the most prestigious artistic awards.
Black and white portrait of Alphonso Canciani
Canciani started to send his works out to events firstly the exhibitions of the Secession, then to those of the Künstlerbaus, the Glass Palace of Munich (in 1901, 1907 and 1908) and to the Great Art Exhibition of Berlin in 1910. Canciani decided to move his focus from the Vienna Secession (similar to the Jugendstil / Art Nouveau style) and took inspiration from Belgian artist and sculptor Constantin Meunier (1831-1905). He created more of an industrial, vigorous style and from 1910 he decided to continue exhibiting within the environment of the Künstlerhaus rather than that of the Secession.
Throughout his career Canciani developed a notable business obtaining important prizes and numerous commissions. Being in the initial congregation of sculptors within the Viennese capital, naturally he was invited to join the association of the Viennese Secession founded by Gustav Klimt (1862 -1918) after his initial exhibition of Dante.
Around circa 1900 Canciani was commissioned to create statues of Saints for the Cathedral of Santo Stefano in Vienna, the monument to Wagner and crafted other pieces including the bust of Nietzsche for the University, the sceptre and the gold chain of the University Rector and figures of Italian poets ( Petrarch, Boccaccio, Tasso, Ariosto). He submitted a sketch for the official monument to Empress Elizabeth, which was then built in Austrisn Gföhl and Pula. At the time of his accession to the Secession, he dedicated himself to decorating the facade of the Artaria house in Vienna in collaboration with the architect Max Fabiani. He also exhibited at the XIII exhibition of the Viennese Secession (1902) with a sepulchral statue representing The sonnambula. In 1904 the bust of Francesco di Manzano. Moving onto the Künstlerhaus he presented two busti-portrait and Nietzsche (head in red navy) in 1912. Following that year in 1913 he presented a bronze Schermidore and bust-portrait, including that of the Master of fencing “L. B.”. In 1914 bronze busts, in 1916 a Pietà (Jesus and Mary), in 1917 a typical Viennese Acquaiolo (water vender) and the portrait of his daughter Nerina. In 1918 he exhibited the busti-portrait of the poets V. Aufricht and A. Donath, as well as a composition representing the Source of Force. In 1916 he won the Dumba Prize, in 1917 the Drasche Prize.
Image of a China Man Bronze Tankard by Alfonso Canciani sold by Jacksons antique
After the First World War, he returned to Italy and lived in Friuli, penalised by the fact that the Habsburg Empire had by now disappeared Canciani devoted the rest of his career to engraving medals for high profile figures such as Pope Benedict XV and for the Italian mission in Vienna in 1919. He also continued to design funeral monuments and portrait busts following his experience with the Bab grave monument in the Döblinger cemetery in Vienna in 1909. He taught in Trieste from 1920 until 1935 at the local school of industrial art where he had Marcello Mascherini (1906-1983) as a student.
Although he had taken a slower pace his activity remained remarkable so much so that in 1940 he received the prize from the Italian Academy of Fine Arts, well known works included the Friulan miner, fire worker and smelters. Located in Cormons, Friuli within the Town Hall building there is a museum dedicated to Alfonso Canciani which contains numerous works donated by his daughter on the occasion of an exhibition in honour of her father. Other works by Canciani can be found in the Civic Museum in Gorizia and in the Osterreichisches Museum fur Angewandte Kunst, Vienna and in various private collections. Canciani lived his remaining years local to his birth area and died in Trieste on October 3, 1955.