California Hillside

Vintage watercolor of a California hillside, signed by artist Hugo Zacchini.

Zacchini (1898–1975) was an Italian-American painter, sculptor, and circus performer. Born in Italy and educated in the U.S., Zacchini was famed as the first human cannonball to be launched from a compressed-air cannon. A member of a renowned circus family, he toured nationally with Ringling Bros. and other major shows. Parallel to his performing career, Zacchini pursued visual art, producing expressive figurative works in oil and sculpture. His style blended realism with theatrical flair, often drawing on themes of motion, spectacle, and risk. He exhibited at regional galleries and fairs, and his work was featured in the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago.

Measures 17.25" x 21