Gianni Raffaelli was born in the very popular district of San Frediano in Florence in 1952.
He followed his family to Venezuela where his father was rather wellknown as painter and spent there part of his youth.

The wild landscape of most of the country impressed him deeply; he started then to imprint on canvas his feelings and the evocative atmosphere.
Qualified Art Schools were missing in Caracas, he had to attend the only Scientific Hight School in the Italian language, taking his diploma in 1972.
One year after, with the purpose of continuing his studies, he returned to Florence and attended the Faculty of Architecture at the local University. He interrupted his studies pretty soon because in his native town he rediscovered the interest and the incentive to continue his search in pictorial and graphic arts.
While he was a student at the Academy of Fine Arts, he worked for the Ciompi theatre and there he met the other graphic draftsmen, with whom he founded the “L’Ippogrifo” in 1976.

In twenty years of experience Gianni Raffaelli has deeply developed special and high techniques with professionality and competence and has received high recognitions worldwide. Starting year 1990, under his personal and private support and enthusiasm, many Art students have adopted these techniques however difficult to study in public school.
As a result of his high professionality and reputation in the artistic field, Gianni Raffaelli and “La Stampa d’Arte” has been uncharged by the Regional Government of Tuscany to rule the “School of engraving Arts” sponsored and supported by European Social Fund.

Since 1999, together with his wife Francesca with whom he collaborates, he has had a shop-studio in Florence in the area of Santo Spirito, a typical part of the city where historically many artisans from Florence where working. Here it is possible to see them working and enjoy their gallery, which  offers more than 500 pieces, made during their productive career.