Fabio Napoleoni
A piece of Fabio Napoleoni artwork is recognizable in an instant. His childlike imagination draws you into a wondrous world that seems like a visualization of a young mind. All of Fabio’s works come from the heart, and Napoleoni draws from personal experiences and beliefs to create a whimsical world full of love and hope.
Explore the works of Fabio Napoleoni available at Marcus Ashley Gallery.
About Fabio Napoleoni
Fabio Napoleoni came from a family of artists; his grandfather was an artist; his mother’s an artist; his uncle is also an artist. Napoleoni was born with asthma. Fabio’s mother gave him some great crayons and colored pencils and everything she could as long as she kept him on the couch not exerting his lungs. The career chose him. Fabio knew that he could draw these characters and it came natural to him.
In 2004, during Fabio’s wife’s pregnancy, they had an ultrasound done. Everybody knows the word “cardio”, so as soon as the doctor said “cardiologist,” they knew automatically that there was something wrong with their baby’s heart.
This was the start of a new journey. looking at their tiny baby, with all the tubes and stitches and things like that… that stuff just doesn’t leave your mind. Why does a child, this young, have to start out life this rough? That just changed Fabio as an individual, made him appreciate life and just start looking at things in a different perspective, and try to be more optimistic, and have a lot of hope.
Fabio’s stint at the hospital with her, his wife, and the people that he met there, including the nurses, doctors, and everybody, they were just huge sources – those people, he would draw them – Napoleoni started to just doodle, and create little characters and incorporate a heart into each one of them.
All of Napoleoni’s characters, he tries to use them as a way to sort of capture what he’s saying to portray; there’s something about courage, love, or not forgetting what someone has done to you, and how they affected you.
The main character Marcenvino, named after Fabio’s grandfather, is basically put together from all the other little characters that he had started. The button, the shape of his face, the body, the arms, the fact that he has no thumbs, he’s got “mitten” hands. Napoleoni wants him to look more like a ragdoll, something that was loved and loved so much, the hair fell off, clothes are missing, you know at one point somebody has to put his stuffing back together – the way you feel as a person – you know sometimes you’re fatter, you’re ragged, you’re rundown – But you know you keep going on.
Fabio used Marcevino to represent himself and how he felt through the process of dealing with his daughter. He was an avenue that Napoleoni chose to express his frustration with everything happening and basically just get out how he was feeling. The heart is always, always, always in every single piece of work that he creates. Fabio will never forget what it means to him, and where his career has gone, because of his daughter, but he wants people to understand and not forget that she played a huge part in where he is today. Fabio says – you should buy art because you have an emotional attachment, there’s something you can relate to. Don’t buy a piece of art because you want it to match your living room. There needs to be something there that draws you in, you want to walk by every single day, and you want to look at it and it reminds you of something, it pulls on your heartstrings; there needs to be an emotional value to it that never diminishes.
You don’t want to change the living room, and then change your artwork. The artwork should always stay there because it means something to you.”
Video: Fabio Napoleoni’s Art Process
At Marcus Ashley Gallery, we’re proud to host a number of limited edition Fabio Napoleoni works as well as unique sculptures. Come see a Napoleoni original in person in our expansive South Lake Tahoe gallery or consider purchasing a piece of art for your own collection. Learn more about him and the world he has created in this video:
Photo & Video Gallery
Questions Answered
Fabio says, “Everybody knows the word “cardio”, so as soon as the doctor said “cardiologist,” we knew automatically that there was something wrong with our baby’s heart. He began doodling in the doctors office to pass time and the hearts became a staple of the doodles during this time. The hearts have stuck around as representation to the struggles through his daughters birth.”
The blue birds in Napoleoni’s art represent the nurses which were bringing good news about his daughter after being born. After seeing doctor’s constantly he and his wife began seeing a lot more nurse’s and after asking why the nurses mentioned it was a lot better to be seeing nurses than doctors.
Fabio says “I come from a family of artists; my grandfather was an artist; my mother’s an artist; my uncle is also an artist. I was born with asthma. My mother got me some great crayons and colored pencils and everything she could as long as she kept me on the couch not exerting my lungs. The career chose me. I knew that I could draw these characters and it came natural to me.”
Fabio Napoleoni has written multiple children’s books including: Dragon Boy, and Dragonboy and the Wonderful Night. Dragon Boy won “Barnes & Noble Best Picture Book of 2021″.
The main character Marcenvino, named after my grandfather, is basically put together from all the other little characters that I had started. The button, the shape of his face, the body, the arms, the fact that he has no thumbs, he’s got “mitten” hands. I want him to look more like a ragdoll, something that was loved and loved so much, the hair fell off, clothes are missing, you know at one point somebody has to put his stuffing back together – the way you feel as a person – you know sometimes you’re fatter, you’re ragged, you’re rundown – But you know you keep going on.
I used Marcevino to represent myself and how I felt through that process of dealing with my daughter.
- 2Wild
- Aleksandra Rozenvain
- Alexander Volkov
- Ana Moran
- Barak Rozenvain
- Boris Kramer
- Charles Pabst
- Archer
- Dr. Seuss
- Eric Christensen
- Fabio Napoleoni
- Frogman Art
- Gabe Leonard
- Harold Braul
- Jack Storms
- John Mark Gleadow
- Jon Paul
- Loet Vanderveen
- Lyman Whitaker
- Mackenzie Thorpe
- Malcolm Tibbetts
- Mario Jung
- Markus Pierson
- Maya Eventov
- Books
- Michael Flohr
- Michael Parkes
- Michael Rozenvain
- Michael Summers
- Miri Rozenvain
- New Arrivals
- Paul Lotz
- Rob Gonsalves
- Rolinda Stotts
- Sally Maxwell
- Steve Barton
- Todd White
- Tom Everhart
Sculptures
Fabio Napoleoni uses his multifaceted talent to bring his distinctive works into the third dimension. He works with resin and bronze to create the same smooth, stylized characters that feature so prominently in his paintings. Marcus Ashley Gallery allows you to commission one of these imaginative sculptures for your collection.
Collecting Fabio Napoleoni’s Work at Marcus Ashley Gallery
If you have any questions about this artwork or you’re curious how these pieces would look in your collection, contact our full service gallery. We’d be happy to walk you through our services, including private home shows, custom framing, fully insured international shipping, and financing options. With the help of our art consultants, you can become a Fabio Napoleoni art collector.
