) ▁was ▁an ▁Italian - born ▁American ▁painter , ▁who ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁art ▁projects ▁for ▁the ▁New ▁De al ' s ▁Section ▁of ▁P ain ting ▁and ▁S cul pt ure ▁creating ▁the ▁post ▁office ▁m ural ▁for ▁Mount ▁Car roll , ▁Illinois , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁mur als ▁for ▁some ▁of ▁Chicago ' s ▁elementary ▁schools . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁I rene ▁Bian ucci ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁in ▁Lu cca , ▁T usc any , ▁Italy ▁to ▁Ass unta ▁( née ▁Catal di ) ▁and ▁Ama de o ▁Bian ucci . ▁When ▁she ▁was ▁six ▁years ▁old , ▁her ▁family ▁imm igr ated ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁first ▁sett ling ▁in ▁Far mer ▁City , ▁Illinois , ▁before ▁moving ▁to ▁the ▁nearby ▁city ▁of ▁Cl inton . ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁Cl inton ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁Bian ucci ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁study ▁at ▁Mill ik in ▁University ▁in ▁Dec atur , ▁Illinois . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁Bian ucci ▁won ▁the ▁Minn ie ▁Bach man ▁Mu eller ▁prize ▁from ▁Mill ik in ▁for ▁exception al ▁ability ▁in ▁execution ▁of ▁a ▁m ural ▁entitled ▁" Music ". ▁She ▁began ▁entering ▁her ▁work ▁in ▁county ▁fair s ▁winning ▁two ▁first ▁place ▁rib b ons ▁at ▁the ▁Illinois ▁State ▁Fair ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁for ▁a ▁still ▁life ▁and ▁a ▁painting ▁of ▁animals . ▁Gr adu ating ▁from ▁Mil iken ▁after ▁completion