Alberto Rizzo:

Art as Destiny, Primacy as a Sign

Roots and Early Talent

The artistic history of Alberto Rizzo (Palermo, 1975) is marked by an early brilliance that foreshadows his future rigor. His passion for drawing began at the age of 5 and was quickly noticed by institutions: at just 11 years old, he received official recognition from the Ministry of Education, emerging among the winners of the 34th European School Day competition. This first academic success marked the beginning of a journey entirely dedicated to the study of form and color.

The Formative Years and the London Period

Originally from Bagheria, the birthplace of giants of Italian art and culture, Rizzo looked beyond national borders to refine his technique. A fundamental chapter of his evolution took place in London: for seven years, the artist experienced a total immersion in the masterpieces of the National Gallery. Direct access to the works of the great masters  became his strictest school, allowing him to acquire exceptional technical mastery and an absolute devotion to the rendering of forms and details.

The Caravaggio Challenge: Between Memory and Ostracism

In 2019, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the theft of Caravaggio’s “Nativity with Saints Lawrence and Francis of Assisi,” Rizzo created a faithful reproduction of the work (268 x 197 cm). Despite the high civic value of the operation, the work was ostracized by local institutions, which denied exhibition venues, making public viewing of the painting impossible. However, the quality of the work did not go unnoticed: a few months later, the work caught the attention of Italy's most famous art critic, who chose to contact the artist. Over the following five years, Rizzo undeterred continued his production of Caravaggiesque works, expanding his portfolio and turning institutional silence into a heated media debate on the valuation of art and cultural bureaucracy in Sicily.

The Historical Primacy at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

2025 marked the international pinnacle of his career. With an application symbolically sent on New Year's Eve, Alberto Rizzo was selected for the Copyist Program of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York. It is a historical milestone: Rizzo is the first Italian artist to be admitted to the program since its foundation in 1872. In the prestigious halls of the Met, under the gaze of Manhattan's international audience, Rizzo performed a live copy of “The Denial of Saint Peter.” This experience represents a consecration: the resulting work bears the official seal of the Met, making Rizzo the only Italian to possess a certification of such prestige issued by the American institution.

Contemporary Vision and the Return to Roots

Today, the painting of Alberto Rizzo represents a solid bridge between ancient mastery and modern sensibility. After his success in New York, celebrated by publications such as La Repubblica, Vistanet, and PalermoToday, his activity focuses on the continuity of Caravaggism and pure pictorial research. In 2026, the planned exhibition in Bagheria will celebrate his homecoming, closing the circle between his Sicilian formation, his long study in London, and his American consecration.