Paesaggio romano (Roman landscape), 1929 Demolizioni dell'Augusteo, 1936 Mario Mafai (12 February 1902 – 31 March 1965) was an Italian painter.

With his wife Antonietta Raphaël he founded the modern art movement called the Scuola Romana, or Roman school.

They had three daughters: Miriam (1926), a journalist, partner of Communist politician Giancarlo Pajetta; Simona (1928) member of the Italian Senate and author; and Giulia (1930), a scenographer and costume designer.

Lesser-known aspects of his life include his intense struggle during World War II, where he was forced to hide due to his Jewish heritage, ultimately leading to the destruction of a large portion of his artworks.

[2] In 1927 Mafai exhibited for the first time, with a show of studies and maquettes organised by the Associazione Artistica Nazionale in Via Margutta.