Felice Casorati: The Father of Magical Realism

Felice Casorati (1883–1963) is one of Italy’s most influential 20th-century artists and a key figure in Italy’s “Return to Order” movement*, combining Realism with a neo-Renaissance composure.

Casorati’s distinctive style drew inspiration from the Symbolist tradition, the refined elegance of the "Viennese Secession" (particularly the works of Klimt and Kokoschka), and Cézanne’s art.
His artworks, with their geometric elegance, flattened perspectives, and the cold serenity of dreamlike poses, helped define the unique Italian movement of Magical Realism — where everything appears almost too real, to the point of becoming supernatural.

Beyond painting, Casorati was also a sculptor, architect, stage designer, and a dedicated explorer of applied arts.

*An artistic movement that emerged after World War I, as a reaction against avant-garde movements (especially Futurism).

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