Antonio Cirino (1888 -1983)

Antonio Cirino (1888-1983) was an Italian-American painter, author, and educator known for his Impressionist landscapes and contributions to early 20th-century American art. Born in Serino, Italy, he immigrated to Providence, Rhode Island at the age of two.

Cirino studied art at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), graduating in 1909, and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia Teachers College in 1912. His formal education laid the foundation for a long career as both an artist and arts educator.

In the 1920s, Cirino began spending summers in Rockport, Massachusetts, where he became a founding member of the Rockport Art Association, one of New England's most important artist communities. Rockport not only served as a summer retreat but became the central subject of many of his most celebrated plein air oil paintings.

Antonio Cirino was widely recognized for his fluid painting technique, rich use of color, and deep understanding of natural composition. He painted outdoors year-round, capturing the landscapes of New England with a distinctly American Impressionist style. In 1926, Cirino was accepted into the prestigious Salmagundi Club in New York City and the Providence Art Club, reflecting his national reputation as a fine artist.

In a 1949 review, The New York Times praised his painting Mooring Place as "one of the more honest and sensitive examples of this genre," reinforcing his place among notable American landscape painters.

Over the course of his career, Cirino won over 79 awards in juried exhibitions, including the Gold Medal of Honor from the Rockport Art Association and the Hope Show Prize from the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio. His work is part of major public and private collections, including the RISD Museum of Art, the Dayton Art Institute, and the National Academy of Design.

Today, Antonio Cirino's paintings remain highly sought after by collectors of 20th-century American art and New England Impressionism.