An intimate journey of discovery of the life and work of American painter Edward E. Boccia.
Edward E. Boccia (1921–2012) is a widely collected yet often overlooked American artist whose compelling pictorial language reveals a vision of universal experience, love, loss, and suffering as well as a deep connection to literature, mythology, and the canons of art history.
During his long career, Boccia developed a new genre of contemporary monumental panel painting that functioned as devotional art while raising questions about ethical, philosophical, and stylistic problems in twentieth-century America. His bold paintings depict longing and desire, grief, and spirituality while remaining deeply connected to the legacy of historical Italian art. In telling the story of an artist in the Italian diasporic community, this book expands the field of American art history, offering a close look at a complex body of work and a riveting life story.
This book is to be published in Spring of 2026 by Hirmer and distributed by University of Chicago Press.
Thank you to our donors including ArtCare Conservation and our private donors many of whom are former friends and colleagues of the late artist.
We are also grateful for the support of the development of this project including The National Endowment of Humanities, The John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, CUNY, Queens College, Molloy University, Rockville Centre, New York, Washington University of St. Louis, Saint Louis University Museum of Art and the Saint Louis Museum of Art.
