Sculptor Michele De Raco passes away, leaving 160-work legacy

Italian sculptor Michele De Raco has passed away, leaving behind a significant artistic legacy consisting of over 160 works created throughout a sixty-year career. His body of work includes sculptures, bas-reliefs, bronzes, medals, graphics, tabernacles, and furnishings spanning both sacred and civil themes.

Born in 1934 in Taurianova, De Raco studied under master Alfonso Frangipane at the Mattia Preti Art High School. He later pursued academic training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome under Alessandro Monteleone. De Raco returned to Calabria in 1954 to teach and direct the ceramics laboratory at the Mattia Preti Art High School in Reggio Calabria, where he eventually served as vice director and principal.

Beyond his artistic contributions, De Raco held significant administrative roles, serving as principal of the Siderno art high school and later as a senior official for inspection services within the Ministry of Public Education from 1982 to 1997. He was also a recipient of the Gold Medal from the President of the Republic.