The Artist
The artist responsible for painting the frescoes of the Center is Guidi Nincheri.
Guido Nincheri (1885-1973) was born in Prato, Tuscany, and studied painting, drawing and architecture in Florence for 12 years at the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1914, after a short stay in Boston where he decorated the Opera House, he and his wife immigrated to Montreal, where he soon opened an art studio.
Nincheri, a stained-glass artist and fresco painter, devoted much of his life to creating religious art. His work can be seen in over 220 churches and other secular sites across Canada and the United States.
Much of Nincheri’s early work was done in frescoes, or “affresco” in Italian. He was instrumental in introducing “buon fresco” to North America, a fresco technique used by Michelangelo in the 16th century. Buon Fresco or “True Fresco” involves creating wall and ceiling murals with water colors on fresh lime plaster. The resulting artwork becomes an indestructible part of the wall as it is essentially “woven” into the fabric of the building. Nincheri also followed the Renaissance tradition of immortalizing the people of the community by placing them within his frescoes.
Over the years, Nincheri received several distinctions for his work. In 1933, Pope Pius XI appointed him Knight-Commander of the Order of Saint-Sylvester, acknowledging him as one of the great artists of the church. In 1972, Nincheri’s Italian homeland appointed him Knight of the Republic; 20 years later he was given the posthumous title of Builder of the City of Montreal. In 1997, the Department of Canadian Heritage declared Saint Léon of Westmount Church a National Historical Site.
Nincheri died in Providence, RI in 1973 at the age of 87.
If you'd like to read more about Guido Nicheri and view other works of his click here. If you'd like to learn more about a documentary about the life and art of Guido Nicheri click here.