GABRIELE RIENA, PhD, SHA – Heraldic Artist and Painter
Gabriele is based in Milan, Italy, a heraldist whose work encompasses several disciplines and techniques. Born in Lugano to an old Lombard family of military and industrial traditions, he was a pupil of futurist master Sibò (Pier Luigi Bossi, 1907-2000), who was a disciple of Sienese painters Arturo Viligiardi (1869-1936) and Dario Neri (1895-1958). Through PhD level study of heraldic style in art history Reina emerged not only as one of Europe’s leading authorities on the historical/genealogical symbolism of that mysterious science, but also as a master of its artistic rendering, with several international solo exhibitions honoring this achievement.
He graduated in Languages and then Art History at the University of Milan. Later he earned a PhD in art history in Lausanne University. He was then editor, writer, and last editor-in-chief of the historical publishing house FMR/Franco Maria Ricci, author of books and essays for FMR, Mondadori-Electa, White Star/National Geographic, etc., including Palazzo Altieri; Bologna; Castles of the World; Superga Segreta, etc.
He is a member of Società Dalmata di Storia Patria (Venice), Società Italiana di Studi Araldici (Turin), Collegio Araldico Romano (Rome), Scottish History Society (St. Andrews) and the Robert Louis Stevenson Club (Edinburgh).
From his website:
During my journeys I love to paint more than anything else. It is an inexhaustible source of ideas, projects and moods. I cannot be sedentary. If I do not move, I have no ideas. As soon as I leave my house, ideas come up, in droves. Of course, not the organized journey, but an anarchist trip, taking in one minute the decision to leave, turning off cell phones and hiking along forgotten roads, or by bus, on foot, by bicycle, a rickety car. Still always avoid driving on motorways that do not let you see anything. What does it mean to go faster if compared to a few more hours in the middle of the countryside, discovering the wonders of art? I crossed Scotland on foot, sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag, I wandered almost all Pyrenees, hiked throughout France, Germany, Poland… I discovered another Italy, unexpected and fantastic, with landscapes worthy of the stories by Italo Calvino and especially by Paolo Rumiz. Another time, I went alone to meet some friends in Eastern Prussia through narrow roads, cutting Austria and Slovakia. Another time, I had been driving from Stresa up to Lisbon through roads forgotten by God. The fundamental difference between the tourist and the traveller is that the first one visits and the second discovers. Besides, when you are wandering like that, you have many more hours available than the common tourists, because you get up very early – often before dawn – and the days are like dilated beyond belief by sensations, discoveries, people you meet, wholesome food tasted, good classical music listened in the radio.
– Gabriele Reina, excerpt from “Conversazioni d’arte all’ “eremo di Brunate”, dipingendo acquerelli con i miei amici Honora Reardon e Giovanni Maurizio Litta-Modignani.”
Exhibitions:
- Milan 1994, Novembre-December – Solo exhibition, Franco Maria Ricci Library, Via Durini
- Milan 2013, 21 March-3 April – Solo exhibition “Motti & Stemmi”. Art Kitchen Space.
- Venice 2014, 23 April-9 May. Solo exhibition “The winged lions of Saint Mark”. Palazzo Cornoldi.
- Trieste 2015, 19-30 January. “The winged lions of Saint Mark”, Generali Palace.
- Trieste 2015, 8-19 June. Solo exhibition “Visages from the Austrian Empire”, Generali Palace
- Milan 2015, 15 September-15 October: Solo exhibition “Sketchbooks and books of drawings”. Galleria Spaziotemporaneo
- Vinovo (Turin) 2016, 5-27 November, “Heraldic Standards”. Della Rovere Castle.
- Rome 2017, 9-26 Februry. “Journey to Portugal”, Istituto Portoghese
- Milan 2018, 13-25 February, Solo exhibition “Artistic journey to Poland”, Galleria Bolzani.
- Vézelay 2018, 7 July-1 September: Solo exhibition, “La Mémoire du Symbole, Etendards héraldiques”. Musée Viollet-le-Duc.
- 2020-2021, 4 October-12 Janvier: Solo exhibition “The key of History: heraldic standards”. Villefranche-sur-Mer.
- Villandry 2022, 22 April-27 July. Solo exhibition, “Heraldry and portraits”. Chateau de Villandry.
- 2023, The Castle of Cerrione, Province of Biella, Piemonte 22 October-5 November 2023 “Mors Vitaque: Heraldry of the Wars of Italy 1494-1559
+39 339 602 7287
gabriele_reina@yahoo.it
Website: http://www.gabriele-reina.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabriele.reina.754
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielereinapainter
All artwork remains Copyright © The Artist and/or Armiger unless otherwise indicated