GIOVANNI BRUZZI(Florence - Italy, 1936)

Giovanni Bruzzi, great grandson of the painter Stefano Bruzzi (Piacenza, 1835-1911) started his painting career with Rodolfo Margheri, professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence.

He studied with him the technique of painting. In 1954 and 1956 he went to Paris for a cultural travel and came back there to settle from 1960 to 1962.

He was very important in the artistic scenario of that time: more than 100 personal exhibitions in Paris (Foyer des Artistes), in important American cities (New York, Washington D.C., Frederick, MD.) and in some central districts of Milan (4), Rome (7), Florence (22), Bologna and so on. His paintings were displayed in art galleries too, and in important central sites (Castel Sant’Angelo, Roma). He was awarded with honorable prizes (XXIª Biennale Internazionale Premio del Fiorino, Florence 1973, 6° Convegno Internazionale del Fumetto e del Fantastico, Prato 1983). He is awarded the “Segnalato Bolaffi[1]” best painter in 1978. In 1980 he painted a murales in Cles and in 1991 the palio of Massa Marittima. Giovanni Bruzzi illustrated with his paintings the following books, among those dealing with esotericism publishing: Nel segno di Cagliostro, Magia e Sogni, Miti e Leggende del Mistero and the magazine Il Giornale dei Misteri.

Giovanni Bruzzi had been an expert in gambling. He has already written, since 1981, six books on this subject: Banco di nove, La cagnotta del croupier,A redini basse, Il filotto nel sabot, I vicini dello zero, Professione biscazziere – dealing with the events and memories about illegal gambling-dens and horseraces, and two small books Perchè Adonis and Après Renis, telling the story of the two bosses. Starting from 1992, he has been a guest on TV programs and talk shows broadcast on Mediaset and Rai. From “Maurizio Costanzo Show[2]” to “Porta a Porta[3]”.

In 1989 he painted a deck of cards to celebrate The two Centuries from the French Revolution, now displayed at the “Musée Français de la Carte à jouer”, in Paris. Giovanni Bruzzi wrote the script for the tragic poker matches in Pupi Avati’s movies “Regalo di Natale” (“Christmas Present”, 1986, which is considered a cult-movie now) and its sequel “La rivincita di Natale” (“Christmas Rematch”, 2002). He also counselled the actors on the set during all the gambling scenes. 

Giovanni Bruzzi, on the 2^nd of June 2006 was given the title of Official Knight of the Italian Republic, awarded for his artistic merits.

 For further info visit: www.giovannibruzzi.it