Riccardo Iamucci

Riccardo Iamucci came to America in 1880. He was one of ten skilled wood sculptors who came to Grand Rapids through the American Consul at Milan under contract to work for one of the Grand Rapids furniture factories (Leopold Baillot was another member of this group.) When they arrived, however, they were not wanted, and were left to shift for themselves. He is listed in the 1880 city directory as Riccardo Tamucci, carver at Berkey & Gay. Iamucci went to New York where he worked for two years before returning to establish his school, Grand Rapids School of Industrial Art, in 1885.

As he was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Milan he found no difficulty in attracting large classes. His elementary course included thorough training in outline, shading, casting, drawing, modeling, composition; carving and designing a specialty. His classes were open to ladies and gentlemen. Many of the leading furniture designers of the city owe much of their training to him, and men were frequently sent from the furniture and brass work factories to take a course of lessons in the practical side of designing.