David Beghè was born on May 3rd, 1854 in Calice al Cornoviglio (La Spezia).

After finishing his schooling there, he attended regular classes at the Fine Arts Academy in Carrara and obtained his diploma in 1870.

He then left Carrara to settle in Milano where he lived with an uncle who was a priest.

In Milano he registered for courses in architecture at the Polytechnic, but his over-riding passion for painting pushed him to further his studies at the famous Brera Fine Arts School.

Here he completed the whole courses under the guidance of the two most illustrious artists of the time, Francesco Hayez and Giuseppe Bertini. Later Giovanni Valtorta taught him the art of fresco-painting. In 1875 he abtained his History of Art diploma.

While remaining faithful to the romantico-figurative school in favour at that time, he managed to give to his work a special personal touch.

He concentrated mostly on religous paintings, but also produced a number of portraits and landscapes. Very devout himself, he was able to endow his subjets with a certain spirituality.

Most of his working life was spent in the provinces of Como, Genova, La Spezia, Milano and Varese. In Lombardia his frescoes can still be admired in churches in the following localities:

COMO : Albavilla, Canzo, Colle Brianza, Ello, Lurate, Nava, Plesio, Sirone, Torno.

GENOVA : Chivari (S.Giovanni).

LA SPEZIA: (N.S. della Neve); Bolano, Calice, Nasso.

MASSA-CARRARA : Rocca Sigillina.

MILANO : Affori, Cambiago, Canegrate, Carate Brianza, Cornaredo, Inzago, Milano (S. Giorgio - S. Francesco Saverio), Parabiago, Pessano, Rho (S. Vittore), Robecchetto, Seregno.

VARESE : Gallarate, Gorla Maggiore, Gorla Minore, Venegono Inferiore.

His works are to be found in private collections

His most famous companion artists were Ludovico Pogliaghi, Giovanni Segantini and Cesare Tallone.

While being highly appreciated for his artistic talents, David Beghè was also much loved for his human qualities which led him to support many praise-worthy initiatives especially in the social domain.

He never broke his ties to Calice, where he would spend summer holidays with his family and where he died on January 17, 1933.

His remains are kept in the family chapel in the hamlet of S. Maria (Calice).

Creation of the Art Gallery

During 1990 the council of Calice al Cornoviglio took contact with the heirs of David Beghè to examine the possibility to create a permanent exhibition of some works of the painter and fresco painter mentioned.

Many rooms of Calice's castle were renovated under the guidance of Flavio Cucco, at that time in charge for administration of the cultural activity of the same county.

The heirs of the painter bore the charges both of rooms restoration as well as paintings, under supervision of qualified organ.

The Cultural Association "David Beghè" was founded with a deed and an agreement to create the Art Gallery was drafted with the county of Calice.

The Art Gallery was opened on June 7th, 1992 at the presence of authorities of Province of La Spezia and Liguria Region.

Honorary presidency was assumed by Marchioness Milena Cattaneo della Volta di Belforte and Lawyer Giuseppe Fasoli.

For more than fifteen years (1991-2007) Prof. Marisa Abulfachini was appointed as real president of the Art Gallery and its Cultural Association.

She enthusiastically accepted this responsibility, achieving many cultural and artistic activities in favour of the Cultural Association and Calice area.

Isabella Cuccovillo particularly took care of the study of David Beghè frescoes, spreaded in many parishes of Lombardy and Liguria. At the end of the academic year 1992/1993 she presented her thesis titled "Pictorial and decorative Activities of David Beghè" at the University of Milan, Letters department.

During 1996 a monograph regarding David Beghe artistic activity was published. The text was edited by Prof. Paolo De Nevi and Prof. Mara Borzone. The summary of this publication was translated into several languages and sent to the major libraries of EU, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

On the twentieth anniversary (1977/1997) of South Vara Lions Club of La Spezia a plaque was dedicated to the artist, placed at Nasso, hamlet of Calice al Cornoviglio.

Several newspapers and cultural publications, both in Lombardy and Liguria highlighted the artistic work of David Beghè.

Among these can be mentioned:

- a short biography of the artist, shown in the "XIX century Art Italian" catalogue n° 29, edited by Mondadori on December 2000;

- an article published on the Italian Touring Club magazine "Qui Touring", n° 12, December 2002.

His paintings were reviewed by the Alinari of Florence publisher and some photographs were included in the phone book of the Province of La Spezia, 2002/2003 edition.

To celebrate ten years of Pinacoteca activity (1992/2002), in 2003 it was decided to publish a catalogue concerning cultural and artistic activities taken by.

The city of Genoa was selected as European Capital of Culture in 2004 by the competent European authorities. On that occasion, the Art Gallery showed some works of the painter in the exhibition "Museums in the area of La Spezia" at Palazzo Ducale.

The Art Gallery was also mentioned in the Liguria Region Official Guide, edited by Mondadori on March 2007.

The current honorary presidency is held by Dr. Mayda Bucchioni Cangini and by Dr. Piergino Scardigli. Prof. Flavio Cucco is real president of the Cultural Association and Art Gallery "David Beghè" since September 2007.