International Leonardo Sciascia Amateur d'Estampes Prize

When the Writer Meets Printmaking

The International Leonardo Sciascia Amateur d'Estampes Prize was established in 1998 by the Association Friends of Leonardo Sciascia to honour the passion that the Sicilian writer cultivated throughout his life for original art prints. Sciascia was a true amateur d'estampes, a collector and connoisseur of printmaking: the prize that bears his name is today one of the most authoritative international events dedicated to contemporary chalcography.

A Biennial and Travelling Prize

On a biennial basis, the prize invites around thirty printmaking artists from different countries, selected by invitation with the advice of prestigious partner institutions: the "Il Bisonte" Foundation of Florence, the International School of Graphics of Venice, the Central Institute for Graphics of Rome, the Federica Galli Foundation of Milan, and the Whitaker Foundation of Palermo. The selected works form an exhibition that becomes travelling, touching some of the Italian cities most linked to the culture of graphics: in addition to Fabriano, Florence, Venice, Rome, and Milan. At the end of the circuit, the prints in competition are donated to the "Achille Bertarelli" Civic Print Collections in Milan.

Fabriano, Capital of Paper

It is no coincidence that Fabriano, in the heart of the Province of Ancona and the Marche region, is a fundamental stop for the prize. The city is world-famous for its ancient paper-making tradition and the invention of the watermark, recognised by UNESCO as a Creative City for Crafts and Folk Art. The Paper and Watermark Museum, located in the former convent of San Domenico, is the ideal place to host a prize that celebrates printmaking on paper: here, the raw material of graphic art becomes a protagonist in itself.

Three Masters of Printmaking

The solo exhibitions hosted at the museum feature the works of the three top-ranked artists, accompanied by special mentions. The international jury, chaired by Érik Desmazières (director of the Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris), selected works ranging from etching to drypoint to linocut, reflecting the most vibrant panorama of today's art printmaking.

A Dialogue Between Art and Literature

Visiting the prize in Fabriano means entering a refined dialogue between visual arts and literature: the intellectual legacy of Leonardo Sciascia, the technical mastery of the printmakers, and the centuries-old history of Fabriano paper intertwine in a unique experience. The museum ticket also grants access to the Civic Art Gallery of Fabriano, for a complete cultural journey in the city's historic centre.