Lorenza Trucchi, the revered doyenne of Italian art critics, passed away at dawn on February 4, 2026, in her Rome home, just shy of her 105th birthday. Born from a Ligurian family in the Principality of Monaco, Trucchi spent nearly her entire life in Rome, becoming a prominent figure in the city’s intellectual and cultural circles.
A Life Dedicated to Art: From Dubuffet to Burri
Trucchi remained lucid and endlessly curious until the very end, frequently inquiring about art exhibitions she had diligently covered and critiqued for decades. Her long and distinguished career included a significant friendship with French artist Jean Dubuffet, who gifted her ‘La vie pastorale II’, an important work now housed at the National Gallery of Modern Art, which she donated in 2026. Trucchi also authored a monograph on Dubuffet in 1965 and curated a major retrospective of his work in 1989.
Pioneering Spirit and Critical Acumen
Among her many achievements, Trucchi was the first in Italy to write about Alberto Burri, a then-unknown Umbrian artist. This early recognition led Burri to dedicate one of his ‘Combustioni’ to her with the inscription ‘To Lorenza, the first.’ Her influence extended to serving as commissioner of the Italian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1982 and teaching for many years at the Academies of Fine Arts in L’Aquila and Rome.
Trucchi’s prolific writing career saw thousands of her articles published in newspapers, weeklies, magazines, and exhibition catalogs. She contributed to esteemed publications such as ‘Gazzettino’, ‘Fiera Letteraria’, ‘Momento Sera’, and ‘Corriere della Sera’, where she was invited to write by Dino Buzzati. She also served as art critic for ‘Giornale Nuovo’ and ‘La Voce’ from their inception, at the behest of Indro Montanelli.
A Legacy of Culture and Friendship
Her life was a vibrant tapestry woven with art, books, travel, and countless summers in Capri. She received hundreds of heartfelt dedications from friends in books and paintings, including one from Giuseppe Ungaretti who wrote, ‘To Lorenza, for her grace and critical acumen, with affection.’ This sentiment encapsulates the profound respect and admiration she garnered throughout her life.
Funeral Services
The funeral service for Lorenza Trucchi will be held on February 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM in the Basilica Parrocchiale di Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome.
Source: https://roma.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_febbraio_04/morta-a-roma-lorenza-trucchi-la-decana-dei-critici-d-arte-aveva-104-anni-3467cac6-c5f2-46cf-9413-651aa65ccxlk.shtml
