Leonardo da Vinci Art School

The Leonardo Da Vinci Art School (the "Leonardo") was an art school founded in New York City (1923-1942), whose most famous student was Isamu Noguchi and whose director was sculptor and poet Onorio Ruotolo.

First Decade

With sculptor Attilio Piccirilli, Ruotolo founded the school to provide low-cost, often free art instruction to the working poor, mostly in the evening. The school was first located at 288 East 10th Street, off Avenue A and near Tompkins Square Park. Tuition was six dollars ($6) per month--or free. (Joseph Sciorra and Peter Vellon, " Onorio Ruotolo: A Life in Art and Politics," America and Italia Review, April 2004)

econd Decade

In 1934, the school reorganized and reopened at 149 East 34th Street. With political and union backing, the school expanded to include the "Friends of Italian Arts Association," eliminating tuition altogether, so that student needed provide only their own art materials. No employees received payment for their services. For the school's rededication, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia unveiled a fresco symbolic of the New Deal. (Joseph Sciorra and Peter Vellon, " Onorio Ruotolo: A Life in Art and Politics," America and Italia Review, April 2004)

Closure

Contributions diminished significantly during World War II, leading to the Leonardo's closture at its third and final location at 130 East 16th Street on April 28, 1942. (Joseph Sciorra and Peter Vellon, " Onorio Ruotolo: A Life in Art and Politics," America and Italia Review, April 2004)

Instructors

* Attilio Piccirilli
* Onorio Ruotolo
* [http://nmaa-ryder.si.edu/collections/exhibits/abstraction/sennhauser.html John Sennhauser]

Alumni

* Isamu Noguchi
* Elaine de Kooning
* [http://www.narducciart.com/timeline.jsp Angelo Ippolito]
* [http://www.narducciart.com/timeline.jsp Tony Narducci]
* Esther Shemitz, wife of Whittaker Chambers
* [http://www.nypl.org/research/manuscripts/dance/dangreco.xml Jose Greco]

Associated Art

* " [http://newdeal.feri.org/library/ac37.htm The New Deal] " by Conrad A. Albrizio (1934), placed in the Auditoriom of the Leonardo Da Vinci Art School at 149 East 34th Street, NYC
* " [http://www.artnet.de/ag/FineArtDetail.asp?G=&gid=0&which=&aid=424966961&wid=424966963&print=1 Cantus] " by Onorio Ruotolo (1933)
* [http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/depression/artgallery.htm Depression Art Gallery]

External Links

* Joseph Sciorra and Peter Vellon, " [http://www.aiweekly.com/past_articles/042004/art5.htm Onorio Ruotolo: A Life in Art and Politics] ," "America and Italia Review" (April 2004)
* [http://qcpages.qc.edu/calandra/academic/aruotolo.html John D. Calandra Italian American Institute] - The Art of Freedom: Onorio Ruotolo and the Leonardo Da Vinci Art School (February 23, 2004 – April 5, 2004)
* [http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100001~!211417!0 SIRIS] Onorio Ruotolo papers (1917-1958) in Smithsonian Institution Research Information System
* [http://www.ihrc.umn.edu/research/vitrage/all/ro/ihrc2321.html Immigration History Research Center] - Ruotolo, Onorio, 1888-1966, Papers
* [http://www.noguchi.org/ruotolo.html Noguchi Museum] - Onorio Ruotolo
* [http://vintageandmoderninc.com/HOME/DIRECTORIES/Designers/details/Onorio_Ruotolo.fci Vintage and Modern, Inc.] Onorio Ruotolo
* [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/417157/Isamu-Noguchi Encyclopedia Britannica] - Isamu Noguchi
* [http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2003/july23/obitruotolo-723.html Stanford University] - Obituary for Lucio Ruotolo (1927-2003), son of Onorio Ruotolo
* [http://www.ovationtv.com/people/ar/profiledetail.aspx?id=208&genreid=3&subgenreid=16&genre_name=art OvationTV] - Isamu Noguchi
* [http://www.themorsoncollection.com/designers/designers.home.php?des_id=75 Morson Collection] - Isamu Noguchi