Page 19 - MARCELLO FANTONI

happiness she would gain by being able to live alone restoration of a sort of “old-fashioned education” in the
with her family and live fully her role as wife and renaissance “botteghe” or workshops style. Thus, the
mother. ample rooms of the former royal stables of Porta
His was, therefore, not a “well-off” family but, as Romana hosted industrious workshops in which each
he put it, a family of “workers”, from whom he student was exhorted to discover, through the study
certainly learned his sense of obligation and dedication and exercise of the ancient trades, his own expressive
to his trade: a road that does not concede hesitation or personality which he would then be able to mature and
fear of taking risks. And today it is impossible not to cultivate after his scholastic experience. This necessity,
see in this cordial but severe man the profound traces far from the aristocratic conception of academic study,
which his family left on him. defending a modern interpretation of the classical,
Marcello Fantoni’s propensity for art began launched the students into a relationship with the
spontaneously and at an extremely young age. Being outside world (frequently, certain choices and
born and having always lived in Florence, he enjoyed a innovations were incorporated into the didactics after
privileged position that allowed him to breath, in his having given special consideration to the needs of the
native air, the plastic germ of the great masters of the art market) and desired to be a valid apprenticeship,
sculptural arts. He himself recognizes that his decision useful for their future activity. For this reason, the more
to study art was influenced by the beauty that worthy students were not left to their own means after
surrounded him, and his memory and his art always graduation, but were helped, sustained and integrated
comes home to the place of his education. When he into society guarantying the candidacy of the most able
finished elementary school, Fantoni took private and deserving for important public commissions.
drawing lessons from a young student, and in 1927, his Believing in their son’s strong, yet, given his age,
father enrolled him in the “Ceramic Arts”course which still immature inclinations, Fantoni’s parents faced great
Carlo Guerrini - at that time the art director for the sacrifices in order to afford him an adequate higher
famous Florentine manufacturer Cantagalli - taught at education that would help him find his way once he
the historic Porta Romana Art Institute. became an adult. They, therefore, chose to enroll him
The Porta Romana Art Institute, founded by in the Porta Romana school instead of sending him
Mario Salvini and Ugo Ojetti, was of fundamental directly to work in the ceramic factories, knowing that
importance for young Fantoni’s development. The if he did indeed posses that talent that blossoms slowly
school day at the Institute was comprised of eight hours but has solid roots, they needed to do all they could so
of lessons, which were in part dedicated to the that he could have an added possibility to succeed.
technical study of art history, in-depth studies of So, Fantoni walked from home early in the
general cultural themes and in part dedicated to the morning, saving the half lira tram fare, to the school
study of each of the eight departments of the school: that would, as he himself affirms, have so much
Decorative Architecture, Decorative Sculpture, importance to his future as an artist. His memories are
Ornamental Decorative Painting, Industrial precious testimony which allow us to spy, through the
Decoration, Ceramic and Glass Arts, Mosaics, Glass and fresh mind of a young boy, on the workings of great
Hard stones, the Art of Wood, and Graphic Arts. personalities from a unique vantage point, penetrating
Obviously, most of the hours were spent in the course that intimate world of the student teacher relationship.
of study chosen by the individual students. But,the aim It was, as is quite clear, Carlo Guerrini and Gianni
of this method was to give each student as wide as Vagnetti who had the role of primary educators for
possible as artistic education, allowing for in-depth young Fantoni, but, he also remembers Libero
study in a multitude of areas of artistic research, which Andreotti, even though he was able to follow him for
was to be coordinated with the intense work done in only a short time once a week in his sculpture class.
the chosen field of specialization. Nevertheless, he remembers him very well. He recalls
Thus, Marcello Fantoni had the opportunity to the crowded lessons during which Andreotti - a chain
receive an excellent education, completed by practical smoker - lit each new cigarette with the but of the
studio work, and guided by an excellent staff of former that he still held in his mouth. He remembers
teachers, among whom were some of the most famous him as he paraded along the corridors of the school
Italian artists of the early 1900’s. It was, in this way, with his entourage of disciples in tow. He remembers
while talking his first steps as an artist, that he met the respect that every student paid to this great master.
Libero Andreotti, Guido Balsamo Stella, Enrico Lusini, But, most of all, he recognizes how much his presence
Carlo Guerrini, and later Bruno Innocenti and Gianni and the exposure to his working method was
Vagnetti. The teachers at Porta Romana, being fundamental to his realizing the need to imbue his
convinced that “practical” studio work would help the creations with modern-ness and to refuse, from the
young students in appreciating the importance of the very beginning, the established formulas and
meaning - and discipline - of the trade, began the conventions. This was a fundamental lesson for Fantoni

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