Description
Giorgio Morandi was committed to the genre of still life, which was a staple of his art for more than 40 years. He said, “Nothing is more surreal . . . more abstract than reality.” Like Cézanne, Morandi explored the illusion of vision by depicting three dimensional objects so that they seem to be apparitions. The bowls and teacups seen here were drawn as flat shapes that seem light and ephemeral.
Provenance
Galleria del Milione, Milan [stamps (GALLERIA DEL MILIONE / Porta Nuova N. 14 – MILANO) and (IL MILIONE [?] / VIA MANZONI 20 / MILANO) verso, lower left and lower right, in purple]. Galleria Annunciata, Milan [stamp (GALLERIA ANNUNCIATA/ [?]) verso, lower right]. José L. and Beatriz Plaza, Caracas, Venezuela, by 1965 [Caracas 1965 exh. cat.]; sold, Sotheby’s, New York, May 16, 1997, lot 33, to Dorothy Braude Edinburg, Brookline, MA; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2013.
Accession Number
186317
Medium
Graphite on cream wove paper
Dimensions
24.7 × 33 cm (9 3/4 × 13 in.)
Classification
prints and drawing
Credit Line
Gift of Dorothy Braude Edinburg to the Harry B. and Bessie K. Braude Memorial Collection
