Pierre Ambrogiani

(French, 1907–1985)

Pierre Ambrogiani was a French Expressionist painter known for his Mediterranean landscapes, figures, and still lifes. His works often employ thickly painted bright oranges and reds. Born on January 16, 1907 in Ajaccio, Corsica, he grew up in Marseille where he taught himself to paint. Over the course of his career, Ambrogiani associated with several well-known artists, including Maurice Utrillo, Othon Friesz, and Marc Chagall. He spent much of his life travelling the French countryside by car, stopping to paint en plein air wherever he saw a motif. In 1962, the artist was commissioned to create frescoes and stained glass windows for the Church of Immaculate Conception in Marseille. The artist died on September 23, 1985, in Allauch, France. Today, his works are included in the collections of the Musée des beaux-arts de Marseille and the Musée d’art et d’histoire de Meudon.