Giorgio Morandi

This is the 25th  post in our Artist of the Week series.



Giorgio Morandi was born in Italy in 1890. In 1907 he attended the Accademia di Belle Arti whose traditions were based on 14th century art. It was during his time here that he would learn to etch from studying the works of Rembrant. During his stay at the school his art focused on Cezanne and cubism. In 1914 he spent a brief period of time working in a futurist style. Also in 1914 he was appointed as an elementary teacher for art, a position which he kept until 1929.

From 1918 until 1922 his work focused on metaphysical painting but went on to focus on subtle graduations of color, tone and different objects arranged in unifying haze. It would be this work which would help to equate him as a forerunner of the minimalist movement.


He was also considered to be one of the few Italian artists to escape the taint of Fascism though he was at time sympathetic to the fascist cause.

From 1930 until 1956 he was professor of etching at Accademia di Belle Arti.

He died in Bologna, Italy in 1964.

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