Aurelio Craffonara (Gallarate, Milan, 1875 - Genoa, 1945), studied at the Ligustica Academy of Genoa, the city where his family had moved (1885), and had Tammar Luxoro as his teacher. Grandson of the talented painter and fresco painter Giuseppe Craffonara (1790-1837) he became passionate about the watercolor technique, for which he is considered a master. He was part of the Genoese Artistic Family and frequented important painters such as Nomellini, Sacheri, Pennasilico, Bardine-ro, Motta and others. The transformation of the basement of Palazzo Gambaro into a thirteenth-century tavern, called Osteria del Falcone, is due to C., with the aforementioned painters. His fame is also linked to his activity as a graphic designer and illustrator: he created posters, postcards, collaborated on the first page of the humorous newspaper "Successo" and also illustrated a re-edition of the Promessi Sposi, a novel by Salgari (The adventures of the Alaska miners ), short stories and short stories. He repeatedly participated in the exhibitions of Lombard watercolorists, held in Milan, and in numerous exhibitions in various Italian (Monza, Naples, Trieste, Venice ...) and European (Antwerp, Munich, Paris ...) cities; he also frequent study trips to Egypt and South America. Academic of merit since 1915, he was permanently part of the Council of the Ligustica Academy. An illustrious exponent of the best Ligurian landscape tradition, interpreted lyrically thanks to the use of watercolor, he nevertheless had interesting openings towards the "modern", as documented by some unusual perspective choices. Works Genoa, Museum of the Risorgimento. Genova-Nervi, Gallery of Modern Art. Imperia, Civic Art Gallery. Milan, Castello Sforzesco, Civic Collection of Bertarelli prints. Bibliography A.M. Comanducci, II, 1971, p. 848; G.L. Marini in, Bolaffi Encyclopedic Dictionary ..., IV, 1973, p. 30; E. Bénézit, III, 1976, p. 254; V. Rocchiero, 1981, pp. 185-186; G. Bruno, 1981, pp. 55, 439 (with bibl.); Bolaffi, cat. n. 12, 1983, p. 153; P. Pallottino - F. Sborgi, in Biographical Dictionary of Italians, 30, 1984, p. 566; G. Costa, 1985, p. 28; G. Marcenaro (edited by), Genoa, the twentieth century, cat. exhibition, Genoa, 1986, p. 227; L. Araghi, C Genoa, 1987.