Jean Richard Bartoli
Education
1962 BFA Philadelphia College of Art (currently the University of the Arts), major in Sculpture. Bartoli studied under Leland Bell, who was the primary influence on his work.
1963 – 1967 Learned to carve marble in Carrara, Italy, using only hand tools, by studying with artisan workmen and through a detailed examination of the great works of art in the museums in Florence. Bartoli closely studied the tool marks on the backs of the works to determine how each piece was made.
1969 MFA Rhode Island School of Design, major in sculpture.
Brief Biography
Family
Jean Bartoli was born in Berlin, New Hampshire, in 1942. His father was a professional musician, who supplemented his work at the local mill; Jean was an only child but was raised with both maternal and paternal grandparents and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, who lived in the same NH town.
The decision to Become an Artist
Jean attended St. Joseph’s parochial grade school through the seventh grade. When Jean was in the second grade, a cartoonist from Walt Disney gave an illustrated talk at the school. From that moment, Jean knew he wanted to be an artist.
After Graduate School
Bartoli went to the quarries of Carrara to learn more about carving marble, as well as to work on projects of his own and on commissions. He remained there until he was required to return to the United States during the Vietnam War and to join the NH National Guard.
After the war, Bartoli stayed in New Hampshire to care for his critically ill parents. He began teaching and built his own sculpture studio, equipped with overhead lifting devices that would handle oversized pieces of marble. The exterior of the studio was faced with New Hampshire granite.
Most importantly, during this time, Bartoli developed his unique personal style of sculpture, which is generally based on his dreams and life experiences. The subject matter of this work is often challenging and includes representations of war, death, and relationships between generations. His style is also technically difficult, requiring him to hone the skills he acquired from the Italian workmen he studied with in Italy and all he had learned by studying the great sculptures in Florence. Bartoli’s work is sculpted entirely with hand tools.
Bartoli was one of five professional NH sculptors at the Wambeck Festival of the Arts in Jefferson, NH. This month-long festival, which ran each summer from 1972 through 1978, included visiting sculptors, and NH professional sculptors working outdoors with students, as well as visiting musicians (such as Benny Goodman) and visiting dancers (such as the Hartford Ballet) who presented weekly performances.
In 1985 Bartoli moved to Washington, D.C., where he accepted several commissions for businesses, such as Arthur Anderson. He also taught at the Smithsonian Institution and the Washington Studio School.
Selected Exhibitions
- Carrara Biennale, Italy
- Museo D’Arte, Moderno, Italy
- Borelli Gallery, France
- AMA Gallery, Marina di Carrara, Italy
- Gallerie D’Arte Bongiovanni, Bologna, Italy
- Hood Art Museum, Dartmouth College
- University of New Hampshire
- Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, NH
- Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA
- Manchester Institute of Arts and Sciences