This set of eight large watercolors of World War I Airplanes was painted by Riccardo Caviglioli (1895 -1975), an Italian aviator and painter born in Milan. Caviglioli received multiple decorations during World War I, and during his lifetime worked as an aeronautical writer, designer and illustrator for advertising campaigns. Additionally, he wrote a book entitled Austrian-Hungary Aviation on the Italian Front between 1915 and 1918 published in 1930.

Caviglioli’s aviation watercolors were first presented at the Torino Exposition in 1928. His designs represent true historic reconstructions of a glorious past, and through his artistic style he was able to depict the impression of flight, glides, turns and takeoffs.

Caviglioli offered an important contribution to the development of Italian aeronautics, carefully recording the advances of technology during this time of mechanical transformation. His works depict a fundamental knowledge and precise technical description of aircraft during World War I and “contain the duel movement of the airplane and the hand of the painter, who moves the brush…”

Among the German, Italian and Austro-Hungarian aircraft illustrated are the Albatros D III, a biplane fighter aircraft; the Gotha GIV, a heavy bomber; the Aero da Caccia, used for in-flight fighting; the Junkers J7, an all-metal monoplane; and the Macchi M 316, an Italian biplane flying boat (or aquatic plane).

These fantastic watercolors will be exhibited in the Carlton Hobbs booth at the Los Angeles Antiques Show, April 22-25, 2010. If you’re in town, be sure to stop by and check them out first hand!