Il Bisonte Foundation is a historic institution deeply rooted in the local area and one of the leading protagonists of the 20th-century artistic scene in Florence.
Founded in 1959 by Maria Luigia Guaita, Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti, and Enrico Vallecchi, Il Bisonte is a unique institution in the field of art printmaking at the national level and an artistic excellence recognized worldwide. Among the most renowned artists invited to create their works in lithographic editions in the Foundation’s workshops are Picasso, Carrà, Giò Pomodoro, Scanavino, Capogrossi, Moore, Calder, Arroyo, Matta, and many others.
The Foundation covers an area of approximately 700 square meters, spread across three buildings in Florence’s historic center. It currently comprises an international school equipped with five technical workshops, an art gallery, a specialized library, a historical archive, and a current archive of donations.
The International School, inheriting the equipment, tradition, and spirit of the namesake print shop, has been operating since 1983 in the San Niccolò district, training students not only in the application of engraving techniques and processes but also in teaching them and managing a printmaking workshop.
Today, under the leadership of President Simone Guaita, the Il Bisonte Foundation has expanded its offerings, fully establishing itself as a cultural and creative hub, a dynamic space for artistic education and production that merges the craftsmanship of artistic creation with the most contemporary expressive demands.
With its precious heritage of history, competence and knowledge, Il Bisonte is a site of international excellence for training in the field of printmaking and the meeting place for artists from all over the world.
The printmaking school in Florence, founded by Maria Luigia Guaita and placed in the most historical and suggestive district, represents one of the principal activity of the Foudation.
Here, treasures of knowledge are maintained and handed down by educating young artists to grasp the expressive possibilities of their time while respecting the noblest traditions of printmaking, adopting an open, customized, and non-conformist method of instruction.