Francesco Antonietti, born on 14 December 1950 in Bloemendaal, studied art at the Academy in Eindhoven and specialised in illustrating books (o.a. 'Dromende Werkelijkheid') and poem collections (o.a. 'Van Dichtbij').
Since 1976 he has worked more intensively on etchings.
'A wonderful technique with some mystique; the combination of techical aspects and artististic possibilities means something to me. Etching is a very labour intensive skill, where there are many opportunities for something to go wrong; but that is also the charm.'
Until now he has made 160 etching plates, for commissions to councils (o.a. Huizen), businesses (o.a. vd Bergh en Jurgens Rotterdam, Garoeda, HTM Den Haag, van Namen Notenimport, Beckering accountants, Holland Village Nagasaki), and art shops (o.a. Jesse, Bielsma, Artiframe).
Characteristic for his work is his feeling for fine details. Regular exhibitions are held of his work in the Netherlands and abroad.
What is striking in his watercolour paintings is the way that he combines technical skills with lucidity using a surprisingly rich colour spectrum. He has developed, in his watercolour paintings, a personal style which radiates a fresh atmosphere.
'I enjoy working for commissions. I don't experience it as a limitation, in contrary: I prefer to work within a certain structure; that's the challange for me: to see what degree I'm able to fulfill the wishes of my client and at the same time include the personal element. It is a balance.'
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