Il Riccio d'Oro - Extemporaneous Painting Prize

A painting competition born among the chestnut groves

In the town of Montelanico, a village of just over two thousand inhabitants nestled in the Lepini Mountains, within the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital (Lazio), one of the region's longest-running artistic events has been taking place for over sixty years: Il Riccio d'Oro, an extemporaneous painting prize that reached its 62nd edition in 2025. The name refers to the chestnut burr, the town's symbolic fruit and the star of the Chestnut Festival, the autumn event in which the competition is traditionally embedded.

What "extemporaneous painting" means

The formula is as simple as it is challenging: artists arrive in the morning, have their canvases or supports stamped by the organizers, and then have the entire day to paint en plein air, from life, a glimpse of the village. No work can be brought pre-finished: everything is created on-site, under the eyes of passersby. For visitors, it is a unique experience, as walking through Montelanico during the event means encountering painters set up at street corners, in front of churches, along stairways, and at panoramic viewpoints overlooking the valley.

The village as a subject

• The historic center: narrow alleys, arches, stone portals, and courtyards that offer classic subjects for landscape painting.
• Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II: the heart of village life and the venue for the awards ceremony.
• The chestnut groves and the Lepini Mountains: the natural setting that gives the village its identity and its autumn colors.
• The life of the festival: stalls, roasted chestnuts, traditional costumes—everything becomes part of the canvases.

Jury, exhibition, and awards

At the end of the day, the works are submitted, displayed to the public, and evaluated by a jury. The awards ceremony is held in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II on the final day of the Chestnut Festival and is one of the most anticipated moments of the event. The winning and most appreciated canvases remain on public display, and in recent years, the selection of finalists has crossed the village borders: in December 2025, the works of the ten finalists of the 62nd edition were exhibited in Rome, on Via Margutta, the historic street of artists, in a collective exhibition created in collaboration with the Pro Loco Montelanico.

The bond with the Chestnut Festival

Il Riccio d'Oro is not an isolated event: it lives within the Chestnut Festival, which is held on the third weekend of October and reached its 63rd edition in 2025. Those arriving for the competition will also find food stands, chestnut and marron tastings, local product exhibitions, crafts, folk music, traditional dances, the historic Rioni pageant, and the distribution of roasted chestnuts. It is a way to see the village on its most vibrant day, when local families open their cellars and kitchens.

Why it's worth the trip

Less than an hour and a half from Rome, Il Riccio d'Oro offers a rare combination: live contemporary art, rural tradition, and mountain scenery. There is no gallery solemnity here, but rather the naturalness of a village that agrees to be portrayed for a day. For painting enthusiasts, it is an opportunity to observe different techniques—oil, watercolor, acrylic—up close and talk to the artists while they work; for families, it is an autumn outing with chestnuts, music, and walks in the Lepini woods.

How to participate

The competition is open to artists according to regulations published each year by the Pro Loco Montelanico on their website, detailing registration procedures, submission deadlines, and prizes. Those wishing to compete are invited to consult the call for entries for the current edition and contact the association directly.