Born in Manhattan's Greenwich Village to Greek immigrant parents, Hadzi grew up in Brooklyn. His father, a furrier, lost his business after the stock market crash of 1929, and the family was plunged into poverty. As a boy Hadzi displayed a talent for art, but studied chemistry at Brooklyn Technical High School and worked in a research lab after graduation. His interest in art continued, however, and after serving in the Air Force during World War II, he and a friend hitchhiked from California to New York, visiting art museums along the way.

On a lark, Hadzi took the entrance exam to Cooper Union and was admitted. After graduating with honors in 1950, he studied in Athens and Rome, making his home in Italy for the next 25 years.

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