Aligi Sassu was born in Milan in 1912. His father is from Sardinia and his mother from the region of Emilia Romagna. His family moves to the city of Thiesi (Sassari) in Sardinia during the early 1920s because of economic hardships. Here, his parents, Antonio and Lina Pedretti, open a textiles shop.

Three years later, they return to Milan. During this time, the young Aligi Sassu starts to show interest in plastic arts. He visits various painting centres with his father. When he is 7 years old, he goes to the national exhibition of the Futurists at Caffè Cova in Milan. At this time, he is convinced that he wants to continue his artistic career. When he is 16, and not yet enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera, he is invited to the Venice Biennale for the first time.

Aligi Sassu, an artist who has become established internationally, stayed in Brè sopra Lugano, Montebre during the last years of his life. Fascinated by the beauty of the land, he donated a large ceramic statute of Saint Fidelis to the inhabitants as a sign of gratitude. This statute is placed at the beginning of the town. He died in July 2000 in Majorca. In October of the same year, his mortal remains are, as per his wishes, entombed in the Chapel of Villa Neuroni in Vezia, a town near Lugano.