Biography
Giovanni Bragolin (1911-1981), real name Bruno Amadio, was born in Venice. As a young boy he became interested in art and started to study in the art academie of his hometown. He didn't finish his formation and started a career on his own. He became a follower of "the classics" and painted mainly in a rustic and realistic style.
He depicted children, flowers, still lifes and daily life scenes.
Below you can see pictures of all the Bragolin (crying children) paintings that were once issued as prints.
10 lies and myths on the crying children paintings.
1. During his artistic life Bruno Amadio (Bragolin) painted 65 portraits of crying children.
The number of paintings created by Bragolin must be significantly higher than 65. Reliable estimates are between 1000 – 2000.
2. The artist found his models in orphanages from around Venice.
Although most of his models look as they were of poor descent, they were picked out at random among schools and playgrounds from around Venice and through ads in newspapers.
3. Bruno Amadio was a.k.a. Franchot Seville.
Amadio never used this name himself. It is therefore inventive. Every story refering to Bragolin and Spain is also fiction. They’re all inventions by George Mallory (“a well-respected researcher into occult matters”).
4. Most of his models were gipsy children.
Probably none of his portrayed children was of gipsy origin. This myth is linked to the Dutch reference to these paintings as “zigeunerjongetje” (gipsy boy). The resembling reference “zigeunervrouw” (gipsy woman) was given to paintings picturing Mediterranean beauties by artists like f.i. J.H. Lynch and Charles Roka.
5. The childmodels were forced to cry. Amadio told them creepy stories or took away their sweets.
Amadio asked the children to take a neutral or sometimes a sad pose. He always treated his models kindly. Tears were added when the portrait was finished.
6. Due to the over a million copies of his work worldwide, Bragolin became a rich man.
Bragolin hardly received royalties for the reproductions that were made from his work. Most of these were mainly sold in the Low Countries, Germany and Scandinavia.
7. The crying children paintings are cursed.
Urban legends referring to a curse mostly appear in South-American countries. In England the tabloid “The Sun” launched a witch-hunt after several reports by firemen. These stories began around 1985, when several mysterious fires occurred. When the debris was sifted through, the only item that remained un-charred was a crying boy painting.
8. The paintings of Bragolins crying children can’t be qualified as art.
Some call it kitsch and art lies in the eyes of the beholder. Art is also a reflection of its time.
9. Bragolin only painted crying children.
It is true that paintings of crying boys and girls were the artist’s core business. Nevertheless, he also painted landscapes, still lifes and historical scenes. Two of his "crying children reproductions" depict tearless boys.
10. Bruno Amadio was involved into occult practices and black magic.
Amadio was a devoted father and caring husband. He had a certain sense of humor and had a rich social life. He never practiced anything occult or black magic.
Note: please don't ask me to value prints by G. Bragolin.
Their price and value depends on rareness, size and condition.
1. During his artistic life Bruno Amadio (Bragolin) painted 65 portraits of crying children.
The number of paintings created by Bragolin must be significantly higher than 65. Reliable estimates are between 1000 – 2000.
2. The artist found his models in orphanages from around Venice.
Although most of his models look as they were of poor descent, they were picked out at random among schools and playgrounds from around Venice and through ads in newspapers.
3. Bruno Amadio was a.k.a. Franchot Seville.
Amadio never used this name himself. It is therefore inventive. Every story refering to Bragolin and Spain is also fiction. They’re all inventions by George Mallory (“a well-respected researcher into occult matters”).
4. Most of his models were gipsy children.
Probably none of his portrayed children was of gipsy origin. This myth is linked to the Dutch reference to these paintings as “zigeunerjongetje” (gipsy boy). The resembling reference “zigeunervrouw” (gipsy woman) was given to paintings picturing Mediterranean beauties by artists like f.i. J.H. Lynch and Charles Roka.
5. The childmodels were forced to cry. Amadio told them creepy stories or took away their sweets.
Amadio asked the children to take a neutral or sometimes a sad pose. He always treated his models kindly. Tears were added when the portrait was finished.
6. Due to the over a million copies of his work worldwide, Bragolin became a rich man.
Bragolin hardly received royalties for the reproductions that were made from his work. Most of these were mainly sold in the Low Countries, Germany and Scandinavia.
7. The crying children paintings are cursed.
Urban legends referring to a curse mostly appear in South-American countries. In England the tabloid “The Sun” launched a witch-hunt after several reports by firemen. These stories began around 1985, when several mysterious fires occurred. When the debris was sifted through, the only item that remained un-charred was a crying boy painting.
8. The paintings of Bragolins crying children can’t be qualified as art.
Some call it kitsch and art lies in the eyes of the beholder. Art is also a reflection of its time.
9. Bragolin only painted crying children.
It is true that paintings of crying boys and girls were the artist’s core business. Nevertheless, he also painted landscapes, still lifes and historical scenes. Two of his "crying children reproductions" depict tearless boys.
10. Bruno Amadio was involved into occult practices and black magic.
Amadio was a devoted father and caring husband. He had a certain sense of humor and had a rich social life. He never practiced anything occult or black magic.
Note: please don't ask me to value prints by G. Bragolin.
Their price and value depends on rareness, size and condition.