An intimate journey of discovery of the life and work of American painter Edward E. Boccia.
Edward E. Boccia (1921–2012) is a widely collected yet often overlooked American artist whose compelling pictorial language reveals a vision of universal experience, love, loss and suffering as well as a deep connection to literature, mythology and the canons of art history.
During his long career, Boccia developed a new genre of contemporary monumental panel painting that functioned as devotional art while raising questions about ethical, philosophical and stylistic problems in 20th-century America. His bold paintings depict longing, desire, grief and spirituality while remaining deeply connected to the legacy of historical Italian art. In telling the story of an artist in the Italian diasporic community, this book expands the field of American art history, offering a close look at a complex body of work and a riveting life story.
About the artist
Born to Italian parents in Newark, New Jersey, Edward Boccia attended the Newark School of Fine Arts and later studied at the Pratt Institute and the Art Students League in New York, where he met his wife, Madeleine Wysong.
During World War II, Boccia in the covert 603rd Camouflage engineer unit, known today as the Ghost Army. He continued to paint and draw during his time overseas, sending his artwork home. After the war, Boccia earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Columbia University. Before coming to WashU, he taught art and served as as dean at the Columbus Art School in Ohio, where he introduced the Bauhaus teaching method to his students.
Boccia was appointed assistant dean of fine arts at WashU in 1951. He taught on campus for more than 30 years, retiring in 1986.
About the author
Rosa JH Berland is a historian of modern and contemporary art. She holds an MA in fine art history from the University of Toronto and teaches art history at Molloy University, Rockville Centre, New York. She is the honorary director of the Edward E. Boccia Artist Trust.