Giuseppe Biasi

Giuseppe Biasi (Sassari,1885 – Andorno Micca, 1945) was one of the most important Sardinian artists of the 20th century, known as a painter, engraver, xylographer, and illustrator. He is remembered for his depiction of Sardinia through a modern visual language, intertwining popular memory, mythology, and the island’s cultural identity. He was among the first in Sardinia to develop and popularize xylography (woodcut) as a refined means of expression, with images depicting characters, festivals, rituals, and everyday scenes from the island’s still deeply rooted traditions. His engravings and graphic works, created primarily in the 1910s and 1920s, demonstrate a profound interest in the rural world, human figures, and processions, with a highly recognizable narrative and decorative style. A significant part of his graphic production, donated by artists or their heirs to the “Anna Marongiu Pernis” Prints Cabinet, is also preserved at the University Library of Cagliari.