Francesco Spicuzza (1883-1962)

Hiro Fine Art is interested in purchasing artwork by Francesco Spicuzza.

Francesco Spicuzza was born in Sicily, Italy in 1883 and emigrated to America. He grew up in Wisconsin and worked with his father selling fruit as a young child. He was initially unable to attend school since he had to financially contribute to his family. He met the Milwaukee business man named Jon Cramer who was the publisher and editor of the Evening Wisconsin. Cramer paid Spicuzza a salary as a newspaper assembler which enabled him to attend school.

At an early age, Spicuzza studied drawing and anatomy under Robert Schade and Alexander Mueller. Both saw tremendous talent in the young Spicuzza and encouraged him to continue with his training. Cramer financed him to go to the St. Louis Universal Exposition in 1904. By that time, Spicuzza had received his first portrait commission for $25.

Francesco Spicuzza began to get noticed locally and was described in a newspaper as “one of the most talented of Milwaukee’s rising workers.” He studied with John Carlson in 1911 at the Art Students League in Woodstock, New York.

Spicuzza began to enter his paintings at various exhibitions including the Art Institute of Chicago, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, and received a bronze and silver medal at the St. Paul Institute in 1913 and 1915.

In 1922, Spicuzza became one of the most recognized artists in Wisconsin by winning the gold medal from the Milwaukee Art Institute. He continued to painting in and around the Wisconsin, spending some time in West Bend painting the various landscapes around the state. Spicuzza is best known for his beach scenes of Lake Michigan.

• 1895 – Born in Waterville, Minnesota
• 1911 – Studied with John Carlson
• 1913, 1915 – Medaled at the St. Paul Institute
• 1922 – Received a gold medal from the Milwaukee Art Institute