Orfeo Reda

Orfeo Reda (9 November 1932 – 5 October 2025) was an Italian visual artist, who is most known as a painter.^[1][2]

Orfeo Reda
Orfeo Reda in January 2020
Born	(1932-11-09)9 November 1932 Carolei, Italy
Died	5 October 2025(2025-10-05) (aged 92) Amantea, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Education	Liceo Artistico Mattia Preti
Known for	Painting
Awards	Riace Bronzes Prize in Reggio Calabria Drach Prize in Palma de Majorca Kowloon Prize in Hong Kong
Patron	Alfonso Francipane

Life and career

Reda was born in Pantanolungo di Carolei on 9 November 1932, to a homemaker mother and a father who was a farmer and veteran of the First World War.^[3] At 16, he won first prize at the Fiera Campionaria in Cosenza with a scholarship offered by the Chamber of Commerce. He completed his maturity at the Art Institute and his drawing diploma at the Liceo Artistico Mattia Preti in Reggio Calabria under the guidance of the illustrious Art Historian Professor Alfonso Francipane.^[4]

He then dedicated himself to the teaching of artistic disciplines such as: Drawing and History of Art at the Higher Middle Schools and Artistic Education at the Middle Schools. He carried out his activity as a painter in his studio in Amantea where he lived for many years.^[5][6]

His works appear in public collections all over the world and numerous are the prizes^[7] awarded to the artist, such as: Riace Bronzes Prize in Reggio Calabria; Masters of Italian art trophy in Salsomaggiore; Drach Prize in Palma de Majorca; Kowloon Prize in Hong Kong; Expo arte Tirrenia 20th edition (where the artist was awarded by the President of the Republic of Malta).^[8][9]

Reda died on 5 October 2025, at the age of 92.^[1]

Painting exhibitions

• Accademia D'Europa, Naples (1985)
• Local Prize "il Glicine", Amantea, with blessing of the Holy See (1986)
• Eur Art Expo, Rome (1989)
• Premio Palazzo Reale Malta, Valletta
• Pantheon d'Oro - Bologna (1992)
• Florence Paint Exhibition, Florence (1994)
• Mostra Antologica - Galleria Amedeo Modigliani, Milan (1995)
• 56th Venice Biennale, Venice (2015)

Gallery

• 
  Orfeo Reda in his studio
• 
  Giorgio Albertazzi awards Orfeo Reda, Florence 1993
• 
  Maria Giovanna Elmi awards Orfeo Reda Pantheon d'oro - Bologna 1983
• 
  Orfeo Reda awarded by the President of the Republic of Malta Censu Tabone in the Hall of Ambassadors of the Palace of the President of the Republic
• 
  Orfeo Reda; International recognition in his name awarded to personalities from the cultural and social world of Pompeii - 1992
• 
  Permanent exhibition of Orfeo Reda in the Carolei Council Chamber - Pro Loco of Carolei
• 
  Orfeo Reda's native house in Carolei
• 
  Orfeo Reda in his studio in Amantea in January 2021
• 
  Orfeo Reda in 2021

Bibliography

• I Quaderni dell'arte. 1996. p. 70.
• Pinto, Rosario (2012). Fra tradizione e innovazione (Volume 4). p. 150.
• Zauli, Paolo (2015). Grazie Italia. p. 175.