Alceo Quieti was born in Urbino, Italy, in 1922. Quieti first specialised in woodcuts, which he learnt at the Instituto d’Arte from master wood engraver Umberto Franci.
From 1948, Quieti worked at the Printing Office and the State Mint where he was employed as an engraver of both banknotes and stamps. Quieti’s first stamp was a value in the San Marino set of 1952 marking the 500th birth anniversary (in 1951) of Christopher Columbus. In his career that followed, Quieti would go on to translate the works of masters such as Mantegna, Paolo Uccello and Michelangelo. In 1959 he received a gold medal for 'Best Stamp of the Year'.
In 1963, Quieti was asked by the Bank of Italy to become involved in the process of creating new banknotes. This collaboration eventually led to the issue of the famous 500 lire 'Mercury' note. Quieti also engraved bankotes for Peru.
From 1968 to 1970, Quieti organised an engraving course in the city of Raffaello in Urbino. This was in cooperation with the Ministries of Post and Education. During this time, Quieti trained 18 students. Thanks to the efforts of Quieti, together with other engravers such as Trento Cionini and Eros Donnini, Urbino has become the epicentre of Italian engravers.
Quieti’s pupils remember him as a calm, friendly and conscientious man. In his work he was careful and precise, yet not afraid to be liberating and to fly high. He loved (technical) innovations and always tried to make them their own and change the technical into something personal and creative. Being both strong and sensitive, he could express himself best in his art, which never lost its sense of reality but was a pure flight of wonderful and poetic fancy. Looking at Quieti's work, it was sometimes said, we sense this secret layer of poetry which we have done away with in our busy daily lives, but after which we all hunger still.
Quieti stayed at the state printers until 1980, when he returned to his native Urbino. Alceo Quieti passed away on 9 March 2014.
You will find Alceo Quieti's database HERE.
From 1968 to 1970, Quieti organised an engraving course in the city of Raffaello in Urbino. This was in cooperation with the Ministries of Post and Education. During this time, Quieti trained 18 students. Thanks to the efforts of Quieti, together with other engravers such as Trento Cionini and Eros Donnini, Urbino has become the epicentre of Italian engravers.
Quieti’s pupils remember him as a calm, friendly and conscientious man. In his work he was careful and precise, yet not afraid to be liberating and to fly high. He loved (technical) innovations and always tried to make them their own and change the technical into something personal and creative. Being both strong and sensitive, he could express himself best in his art, which never lost its sense of reality but was a pure flight of wonderful and poetic fancy. Looking at Quieti's work, it was sometimes said, we sense this secret layer of poetry which we have done away with in our busy daily lives, but after which we all hunger still.
You will find Alceo Quieti's database HERE.