He has numerous national and international acknowledgments
„el Duca“ was born in 1945, in Cavrasto in the province of Trient.
His first education was received in the family, who were involved in agriculture and who taught him how to work stone (his father was a simple stonemason). In this environment his uncomplicated and strong values of responsibility and dignity grew, and also his love of nature. In his mind’s eye, he assimilated fantastic pictures of landscapes, blue skies, sunrises and sunsets.
Then the path to school and to emigration opened for him, as for many others of his contemporaries.
A singular, great passion accompanied him: to let materials speak, be it iron, wood, stone or paint.
Whilst he was travelling in the world, he gained access to artistry by attending courses for painting and sculpture at the Academy in Munich.
The first of his creations are made. In the meantime, he moved to Milan and attended various courses at the Brera Academy. Then he returned to his home. A long series of individual exhibitions followed, in which he exhibited works of art bearing the fruits of his intensive activities.
After several years of inactivity in his artistic work, and thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Claudia Tognali, his passion for art was re-awoken in his home in the Retish Alps. He began his work afresh.
The artistic activities of Gugliemo Bertarelli “el Duca” are very intensive. The first exhibition took place in 1977 in Milan. This was followed by over 300 individual or joint exhibitions, not only in Italy but also in Germany, Austria, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, America, Ukraine, and Eastern Russia.
His name appears in national and international catalogues. Here are some examples:
Dictionary “I Premiati” by Gino Parente and Guido Massarelli. Edition “Il Pungolo Verde Campobasso ‘83”.
Albo d’Oro degli accademici Benemeriti 1966 – 1985. Edition “Teleuropa” Rome.
Catalogo Internazionale d’Arte Contemporanea 1° e 2° volume 1983 – 1984 Casa Editrice “Alba” Corso Porta Po 82/A 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
Encyclopeadia “Maestri Contemporanei” 1983 Casa Editrice “Seledizioni” Via Boldrini, Bologna, Italy.
Catalogo Critico Finanziario “Maestri della Comunità Europea” 1984 Casa Editrice “Seledizioni” Bologna, Italy.
Dizionario Encyclopaedia d`Arte Contemporane Casa Editrice “Alba” Corso Porta Po 82/A 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
Catalogo d’Arte Internationale Selezione Italiana Novart 1987.
Encyclopaedia Mondiale degli Artisti Contemporanei, Casa Editrice Seledizioni, Bologna, Italy 1984.
I Colori della Valle Antologi, degli Artisti Camuin contemporanei, a cura di Eugenio Fontana, year 2007.
There have been numerous prizes and awards, participation in exhibitions, and he has been mentioned in nationally and internationally circulated catalogues from the 1970’s and 1980’s.
In the extensive lists there appears in particular: the first absolute prize for the 7th national sculpture competition “Mario Rizzoli” from Padua, “il Leone d’oro” 1983 in Ferrara, for artistic creativity; “Il Pantheo d’oro” 1983 in Bologna, for artistic merit; “L’Arco di Tito” 1983 in Florence, for artistic merit; “la Fenice” 1983 in Venice, for artistic merit; “Coppa del Mare” 1983 in Rome, international prize for praiseworthy artistic merits in recent years; “Latinità” 15th July 1984 in Rome, international Italian – French prize; “Ulisse” 1984 in Rome, international Italian – Greek prize; “Il Davide d’oro” 1984 in Ferrara, national prize for artistic merit.
Certificate from the Universal-Academy “Gugliemo Marconi” Art – Literature – Science, Via Ugo Flores 27, Rome; registered in the golden directory of the Art Department on number 32/PUaA dated 7th November 1983. He has been appointed to Academic Senator at the university mentioned above.
Now he signs his works of art “el Duca”, which was the nickname for his grandfather. “el Duca”, the grandfather, was the life-master for Gugliemo Bertarelli.
Today we can celebrate the return of a great man!