Created in 1928, “Portrait of the Artist’s Wife” belongs to a central phase in the research of Virgilio Guidi, one of the most important artists of twentieth-century Italian art. Born in Rome in 1891 and active mainly in Venice, Guidi developed a painting style based on the balance between formal construction, light, and psychological introspection. Furthermore, although he passed through different artistic periods, he always maintained a strong focus on the human figure and compositional synthesis.
In this work, executed in oil on cardboard, the female face emerges with great essentiality from an almost neutral background. The direct gaze and frontal pose give the composition a strong silent intensity, while the pictorial matter, applied with soft and controlled brushstrokes, creates delicate tonal transitions. At the same time, the pinks and browns of the dress interact with the warm tones of the complexion, generating a collected and suspended atmosphere.
During the 1920s, Guidi engaged with the climate of the return to order, while maintaining a personal sensitivity far removed from any academic rigidity. It is precisely in this painting that his ability to reduce descriptive elements to the essential becomes evident, focusing instead on the human presence and the luminous construction of space.
The work therefore reflects an intimate and meditative painting style, in which portraiture becomes an opportunity for inner exploration. Furthermore, the provenance from important Italian galleries confirms the historical and collecting interest in the work of one of the leading figures of twentieth-century Italian art.
Description: Oil on cardboard, signed lower right, bearing on the back the date and signature for authentication by the artist dated 18.10.1979, stamp of Galleria d’Arte Falsetti – Prato, label and stamp of Galleria Marescalchi – Bologna, stamp of Galleria D’Arte La Barcaccia – Naples, other barely legible stamps, H cm 57.5×49.5 – with frame H cm 92x82x4
Notes: Work accompanied by authentication on photograph signed by the artist dated 18.10.1979 and stamp of Galleria Marescalchi – Bologna.
Provenance: Galleria d’Arte Falsetti – Prato; Galleria d’Arte La Barcaccia – Naples; Galleria Marescalchi – Bologna; Private Collection – Bologna
Hammer Price: € 6.000,00
Auction 92 – March 24th 2026 – Modern and Contemporary Art
All works by Virgilio Guidi presented at auction
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