Athos Menaboni

Athos Rodolfo Giorgio Alessandro Menaboni (October 20, 1895 – July 18, 1990) was an Italian-born American artist who spent the bulk of his career in Atlanta, Georgia.

Early life and education Menaboni was born in Livorno, Italy, and developed a profound affinity for nature from his early years. Raised in a family with a strong connection to the maritime world, his father, Averardo, was a successful ship chandler. Young Athos developed a lifelong love for birds and animals that would later inspire his art.

Menaboni's artistic talent emerged early. At age nine, he began art lessons with painter Ugo Manaresi and muralist Charles Doudelet. Later, he continued his artistic education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence until World War I disrupted his studies.

American Black Duck American Coot American Crow American Golden Plover American Goldfinch American Kestrel (also called Sparrow Hawk) American Redstart American Robin American Wigeon American Woodcock Ani Bald Eagle Baltimore Oriole Barn Owl Barn Swallow Barred Owl Belted Kingfisher Black Brant Goose Black Francolin Black Grouse Black Minorca Black Skimmer Black-crowned Night-Heron Black-necked Stilt Blue Grosbeak Blue Jay Blue-winged Teal Boat-tailed Grackle Bobolink Bronzed Grackle Brown Leghorn Brown Pelican Brown Thrasher Bufflehead California Gull California Quail (also called Valley Quail) Canada Goose Canvasback Capercaillie Carolina Chickadee Cedar Waxwing Chukar Partridge Common Goldeneye Common Kingfisher (also called Eurasian Kingfisher and River Kingfisher) Common Loon Common Munia Common Nightingale Common Raven Common Tern Common Yellowthroat Cooper's Hawk Darked-eyed Junko (also called Slate-colored Junko) Eastern Bluebird Eastern Kingbird Eastern Meadowlark Eastern Starling Eastern Towhee Eastern Wild Turkey European Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak Field Sparrow Firefinch Flamingo Forster's Tern Gadwall Gambel's Quail Glossy Ibis Golden Eagle Golden-crowned Kinglet Goldeneye Gray Catbird Gray Partridge Gray-cheeked Thrush Great Blue Heron Great Horned Owl Greater Prairie Chicken Greater Yellowlegs Green Heron Green-winged Teal Grey Waxbill Hooded Merganser Hooded Warbler Horned Grebe Indian Peafowl Indigo Bunting Kentucky Warbler Killdeer Lady Amherst's Pheasant Laughing Gull Least Tern Lesser Scaup Little Blue Heron Louisiana Water Thrush Magpie Mallard Merriam Turkey Mountain Bluebird Mourning Dove Northern Bobwhite (also called Bobwhite Quail and Virginia Quail) Northern Cardinal Northern Flicker (also called Yellow-shafted Flicker) Northern Harrier Northern Mockingbird Northern Pintail Northern Saw-whet Owl Northern Shoveler Orange-breasted Waxbill Orange-cheeked Waxbill Osprey Painted Bunting Peregrine Falcon Pileated Woodpecker Piping Plover Purple Gallinule Purple Martin Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu Finch Reddish Egret Redhead Red-headed Woodpecker Red-tailed Hawk Red-winged Blackbird Reeves’ Pheasant Ring-billed Gull Ring-necked Duck Ring-necked Pheasant Rose-breasted Grosbeak Ruby-crowned Kinglet Ruby-throated Hummingbird Ruddy Duck Ruffed Grouse Scarlet Tanager Scoter Screech Owl Semipalmated Plover Sharp-skinned Hawk Sharp-tailed Grouse Snow Goose Snowy Egret Song Sparrow Spanish Red-legged Partridge Spotted Sandpiper Summer Tanager Swallow-tailed Kite Toucan Tree Swallow Tri-colored Mannikin Troupial Tufted Titmouse Tundra Swan Turkey Vulture Turkish Gray Partridge Two-colored Mannikin Western Meadowlark White Ibis White-breasted Nuthatch White-tailed Kite White-throated Sparrow Whooping Crane Wilson's Snipe Wood Duck Wood Thrush Yellow-billed Cuckoo Yellow-breasted Chat Yellow-naped Amazon Parrot Zebra Finch

Decorative Arts Projects

Books In 1950 Sara and Athos Menaboni published Menaboni’s Birds, a book of his paintings with accompanying descriptions written by Sara. It was named one of the “Fifty Best Books of the Year” by the American Institute of Graphic Arts. A revised edition was published in 1984.

Menaboni illustrated Never the Nightingale (1951) by Daniel Whitehead Hicky. Since 1957 his art has appeared in every edition of The World Book Encyclopedia (Volume B, “Birds”).

Don Russell Clayton, an alumnus of Kennesaw State University and a friend of Menaboni, donated his collection of Menaboni's works to the Zuckerman Museum of Art and has presented multiple lectures on the artist. He has also curated numerous exhibitions.