Artworks

Carlo Zinelli (1916-1974)

Carlo Zinelli was born in Verona, Italy in 1916. Growing up in turmoil, through both the Spanish Civil War and World War II, Zinelli developed complex trauma and was hospitalized for schizophrenia in 1947. Though Zinelli struggled with communication in the hospital, he thrived artistically, creating elaborate drawings on the walls of the asylum’s courtyard. After this practice was observed by a visiting artist, Zinelli was encouraged to continue making art, and started to work with the materials in the hospital art studio. 

From there, Zinelli’s creativity knew no bounds. He employed pens, gouache, and tempera paint to depict cryptic scenes in bold color. He often wrote in a language of his own creation directly onto his work. Zinelli’s ability to communicate mysterious messages through graphic imagery established him as an enigmatic figure in the Outsider art world. By the time of his death in 1974, Zinelli had created over 3,000 artworks that continue to incite discussion on the mystical nature of art brut.