biography of Beniamino Benvenuto BUFANO (1898-1970)

Birth place: San-Fele, Italy

Death place: San Fran., CA

Addresses: San Fran., CA

Profession: Sculptor

Studied: NAD; BAID; ASL, 1913 (scholarship); with James L. Fraser, Herbert Adams; Paul Manship

Exhibited: PAFA, 1912, 1916-17; AIC; WMAA, 1917 (prize); ASL, 1914 (prize), 1915 (prize), 1916 (prize); City of Paris Art Gal., 1925 (solo); Arden Galleries, NY, 1925 (solo); Salon d'Automne, Paris, 1927; San Fran. AA, 1935 (first prize); GGE, 1939; SFMA, 1935 (solo), 1936 (solo), 1937 (solo); Oakland Mus., 1974; Calif. Acad. Sciences, San Fran., 1974 (solo).

Member: Am. Artists Cong.; NSS; San Fran. AA

Work: MMA; SFMA; CPLH; Sun Yat Sen. statue, St. Mary's Park, San Fran.; Peace mem., San Fran.; San Fran. Longshoreman's Union; Mills College, Oakland; San Fran. City College; Paris; Rome; Moscow; Germany

Comments: Renowned for ceramic figures and experiments with glazes; one of the first American sculptors to use stainless steel and cast stone. Came to NYC at age three. He went to San Francisco in 1915 to work on a sculpture for the PPE and afterwards traveled extensively for four years in France, Italy, India and China. He returned to San Francisco in 1921 and remained there except for visits to the Orient and Europe. Positions: art commissioner, City of San Fran., CA; teacher, UC Berkeley; CCAC.

Sources: WW59; WW47; more recently, see Hughes, Artists in California, 79; Fort, The Figure in American Sculpture, 184 (w/repro.)