Edward E. Boccia: Painter of Nightmares and Dreams

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.