1899
Lucio Emilio Fontana was born on February 19 in Rosario de Santa Fe, Argentina. He is the son of Luigi (1865-1946), who emigrated in 1891 from Varese, and Lucia Rosario Bottino (1874-1925), an actress of Italian origin born in Rosario.
Luigi, a sculptor by profession, established in the Argentine city a workshop that quickly became established in the field of funerary statuary and portraits.
1905
After the end of his relationship with Lucia, Luigi married Anita Campiglio, an emigrant from Comabbio, who would become the mother of three children: Tito, Delfo, and Geronzio (called Zino).
Lucio remained in Rosario de Santa Fe, living with the family at Calle Rioja 2070, where the headquarters of the "Fontana y Scarabelli" workshop was also located.
1906
Here, Lucio attended the "Torquato Tasso" Boarding School in Biumo Inferiore, obtaining his elementary school certificate in 1911.
1911–1914
His father continued to oversee Lucio's education, enrolling him at the "Ballerini" Archiepiscopal College in Seregno, where he attended a three-year technical school.
1914
Luigi returned to Italy and settled in Milan. Lucio began to learn the art of sculpture in his father's workshop, while attending the "Carlo Cattaneo" Technical Institute and the Art High School of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera.
After a couple of years, he was admitted to the architecture section of the Higher School of Applied Arts to Industry, located in the Castello Sforzesco.
1916
Operating on the Carso front, he suffered frostbite to an arm. At the end of the conflict, he received the silver medal for military valor.
1918
Lucio resumed his studies, obtaining his building surveyor diploma.
1920
During the summer he moved to Turin to attend the officer cadet school.
