“Veduta della Montagnola di Bologna” by Giorgio Morandi, dated 1932, is an etching on paper belonging to the first state, documenting an important aspect of the artist’s graphic production during the interwar years. During this period, Morandi pursued printmaking alongside painting, developing a sustained investigation into urban landscape and the silent perception of space.
The work depicts a view of Bologna’s Montagnola, a real location interpreted through an essential and contemplative vision. However, the subject is not treated in a narrative manner. Instead, the scene is constructed through a dense network of intersecting lines, defining volumes and depth without relying on dramatic contrasts. Furthermore, the measured use of chiaroscuro lends solidity to the vegetal and architectural masses, while the foreground remains intentionally sparse and quiet.
From a stylistic perspective, this etching fully reflects Morandi’s poetics, founded on balance, restraint, and visual concentration. Consequently, even an urban subject is transformed into a composition governed by abstract relationships while remaining faithful to observed reality. The signature and date engraved in the plate, together with the edition number 41/50, attest to the work’s authenticity and publishing history.
Description: Etching on paper, first state, signed lower right, edition number 41/50 lower left; the plate bears the artist’s signature and date lower right. On the reverse are a label from Galleria La Loggia, Bologna, with artist, title, technique, date, and publication details, together with a collection stamp, H cm 20.8×33.2 at top / 32.8 at bottom.
Provenance: Private Zaccardi Collection, Bologna; Galleria La Loggia, Bologna.
Publication: L. Vitali, “The Graphic Work of Giorgio Morandi”, Turin, Einaudi, 1989, fig. 93.
Hammer Price: € 5.750,00
Auction 70 – April 17th 2024 – Modern and contemporary art
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