The first artist in Italy to produce pictures inlaid with woven straw, Luigi Mora was born in Colorno on 15 March 1886. A son of the people, he earned his living as a tinsmith and glassmaker with his maternal uncle Domizio Delfrate.  It was in his free time, with patience and diligence, that he devised  a way of weaving  wheat straw to make intricate artistic creations.

In the Golden Book he is described as «pleasant young man, an untiring worker, with admirable good taste possessed by but a few».

His art can be seen in 12 pictures divided into three cleverly devised sections: the first is given to straw,  the second is concerned with the actual weaving and the third with the inlaying of straw, a technique described in the  book he  published, and then taught as an  arts and crafts subject at  the art school in Rimini.

He loved to call his brother Dino ‘my designer’ because it was he who devised the basis for creating  his pictures inlaid with a particular wheat straw from Florence,  particularly suited to this type of work being almost knot free.

In 1898 at the age of just 12, he took up this unusual craft, first with simple designs and then, just two years later, he was already producing  more complex artistic works, such as “The Triumph of the Peace” and the allegory of the city of Milan entitled “Industrial Artistic Milan”, which won prizes at the exhibitions in Milan, Piacenza and Palermo.

Qualifications, acknowledgments and exhibitions:

1908 Piacenza, bronze medal award  for allegorical picture in woven straw – Opening of the new Bridge on the Po – Exhibitions of Piacenza.

1908 Milan, gold medal award – Workers’ Exhibition Committee Fair.

1909 Palermo, Cross of Honour and Good Merit with the title 1st Italian  artist in straw inlaying  – Permanent International Exhibition.

1911 Casalmaggiore (Cremona) Special diploma.

1914 Milan, 6 March -  the Honorary Cross  for Work award  listed in the Golden Book of honorary members for work Gran Libro d’Oro dei Benemeriti del lavoro ) for artistic works using straw,  published by The Modern Illustrated Exposition Catalogue, dedicated to King Victor Emanuel 111.

1915 Rome, honoured by the Hon. A. Salandra, President of the Council of Ministers, for his picture with effigies of his Royal Majesty the King and distinguished gentlemen dedicated to the Nation.

1915 Rome, honoured by Prefetto Olgiati, Prefect of Parma, for noble and patriotic use of the sum donated by Hon. A. Salandra, used to honour the soldiers from Colorno and the local area who had fought in the war effort.

1916 Palermo, 20 August – non-competitive‘Jury member’ diploma, with first class medal,
for artistic works in wheat straw – Hygiene Exhibition Fair – organised by the Academia for Physical – Chemistry.

1917 Honoured by King Victor Emanuel 111. for his straw-inlaid picture depicting the Royal Family.

1917 Rimini, Merit of Honour from the school for contributing his straw inlaying technique,
which was then taught as an  arts and crafts subject at  the art school in Rimini.

1919 Rome, honoured by Pope Benedetto XV for his picture depicting Our Guardian Lady.

1919 Sestri Ponente (Genoa) – Individual artists’ exhibition for War Veterans, 520 exhibits.
With his brother, Prof. Dino Mora.

1920 Genoa, diploma of Special Merit for allegory in straw – Regional Committee for Genoa – Italian Red Cross.

1921 Palermo, diploma of Honour.

1921 Sestri Ponente (Genoa) participation and collaboration certificate as member of the
Board of Directors of the Soldiers’ Lodgings,  “Casa del Soldato”.

1922 Rome, 1 March – nominated Knight of the Italian Crown in accordance with an  appointments system signed at Racconigi, 20 September 1921 by the King, based on a previous proposal put forward by the President of the council of Ministers.

1922 Rome, honoured by Pope Pius X1 with a papal blessing and an artistic scroll.

1924 Milan, 13 December,  - nominated Patron Member of the Institute for Propaganda ‘We honour Work’ -  Golden Book of honorary members for work.

1929 San Secondo Parmense, 31 August – Silver medal award for straw-inlaid pictures presented at the Exhibition Show.

1934 Colorno, diploma of Honour for works in straw   presented at the Art Exhibition  - Crafts – Agriculture – Industry – Colorno Fair (1 – 9 September).

1934 Colorno, participation diploma for works in straw   presented at the  2nd Art Exhibition  - Crafts – Agriculture – Industry – Colorno Fair,  (1 – 8 September).

1942 Parma, Bronze medal award from the Savings Bank of Parma, for educational advice on savings – Federation of Savings Banks in Emilia.

1946  Colorno, First Class Gold Medal Award for straw-inlaid  works, presented at the 1st  Art Show – Industry and Commerce  – Colorno Fair (1 – 8 September).

2005 Colorno, 30 September – 1 and 2 October, his work ‘Allegory of the Triumph of Peace’ (1900) is exhibited  at the Artists’ and Craftsmen’s Trade  Exhibition, Artisans at the Palace – VIII  Edition – Royal Palace of Colorno,  ‘Piano Nobile’, (Main floor).

Throughout the first world war Cav. Luigi was in Liguria and distinguished himself as an exemplary citizen as well as a good artist.

Though rejected by the Army he was determined to make himself useful to the cause and so enrolled voluntarily as a tinsmith in the Aeronautical production site of Ansaldo di Borzoli a Mare.

In the numerous newspaper articles that commend him, we see that he also made on commission and donated straw-inlaid pictures to various sanctuaries:

- Sanctuary of Madonna di Fontanellato (Parma).
- Church of San Francesco at Sestri Ponente (Genoa): the picture depicts a boy offering flowers in thanks  to Baby Jesus.
- Sanctuary of Monte Gazzo -  Sestri Ponente (Genoa): a votive tablet depicts a warrior offering (kneeling in thanks) to the Virgin.

During the first world war he made and donated hundreds of artistic picture frames to the families of fallen and injured soldiers,  taking the expenses for the glass and frames upon himself, apart from the sums he received from in recognition from Hon. Salandra and the King.

A collection of patriotic and commemorative postcards from the post-war period can be traced back to Cav. Luigi.

The greatest merit that can be attribuited to Cav. Luigi is the fact that all his pictures, besides the portrait of the soldier, depict the two ideals he cherished; those of faith and country. It is for this that he was listed in  the Golden Book of honorary members for work.

To honour those from Colorno fallen in the second world war, he did two commemorative pictures, which are today kept in the Historic Archive of the town Council of Colorno.

In 1950, about six years before his death, Cav. Luigi offered a final token of inspiration to the curiosity of the public: fashionable straw buttons . The ladies took to this new fashion, which added a note of  originality and elegance to summer clothes.  Cav. Luigi was not to live long enough to see his modest and ingenious craftsmanship awarded one more time.

Cav. Luigi passed away in Colorno, 8 December 1956, and lies in the cemetery in Colorno, next to his wife Ghezzi Pierina and their children Dino and Rosetta.

Sources:  The Mora family’s archive documents.