Pio Santini (1908-1986) Pio was a painter of figure compositions, figures, portraits, genre scenes, landscapes and waterscapes. He showed his talents early in life
and at the age of 16 made a sculpture of the head of Dante Alighieri. Count Colonna, a friend of the family, was struck by the quality of the work and commissioned the young Pio to do a bust of him. So impressed by his work, the Count introduced him to the sculptor Carlo Fontana (1865-1956). Later, Pio attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome.
In 1933 he moved to Paris Montparnasse area where he lived for more than 50 years.
He held various exhibitions in Rome, Tokyo and Paris and was awarded the
grand-prix du Salon des Artistes français (1970), médaille d'or du Salon des Artistes français (1971), prix Ernest Marché (1974), grand-prix du Salon des Artistes français (1974).
