This “Still Life” (recto) by Giorgio Morandi, created in 1956, is a pencil drawing on paper that fully belongs to the artist’s mature period. On the recto, the work presents an essential arrangement of everyday objects — bottles and containers — carefully balanced within the composition. However, what emerges most clearly is not the subject itself, but rather the relationship between volumes, lines, and empty spaces, a central aspect of Morandi’s artistic research.
The drawing is executed with a light and controlled hand, free from unnecessary effects. Instead, the line gradually constructs the forms, allowing a quiet and contemplative vision to emerge. Furthermore, the absence of strong chiaroscuro contributes to a suspended atmosphere in which the objects appear almost outside time. In this sense, the drawing reflects Morandi’s daily practice of study, which he considered an autonomous tool of visual investigation.
Particularly significant is the presence, on the verso, of the autograph date “18 September 1956”, allowing the work to be placed precisely within the artist’s chronology. Therefore, the sheet also holds documentary value, offering direct evidence of Morandi’s working method during the 1950s. By this period, the artist had already developed his unmistakable style, founded on formal reduction, repetition, and constant observation.
Description: Pencil on paper, recto signed lower centre, verso dated lower left “18 September 1956”, H cm 23.5×32.5.
Notes: Work accompanied by a photograph for authenticity issued by Galleria La Loggia, Bologna.
Publication: E. Tavoni, “Morandi. Drawings”, Volume I, Sasso Marconi, La Casa dell’Arte Editrice, 1981, fig. 156, p. 158.
Provenance: Private Zaccardi Collection, Bologna; Galleria La Loggia, Bologna.
Hammer Price: € 22.500,00
Auction 70 – April 17th 2024 – Modern and contemporary art
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