Francesco Messina, Crucifixion, relief aquatint

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Relief aquatint by Francesco Messina (Linguaglossa, 1905 – Milan, 1995) depicting the Crucifixion. Messina was born in Catania, moved with his family to Genoa where he entered a sculptor's workshop and attended courses at the Accademia Ligustica. In 1922 he took part in the Venice Biennale for the first time; he will get the Prize for Sculpture. In 1934 he won the competition for the Chair of Sculpture at the Brera Academy, succeeding Adolfo Wildt. From 1936 to 1944 he held the role of Director of all the schools of the Milanese Academy. During the 1930s he participated in various exhibitions in Italy, Europe and the world: Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo, Brazil to name a few. In 1949 he exhibited at the 3rd Sculptur International in Los Angeles with, among others, Marino Marini, Giacometti, Brancusi and Picasso. An extremely skilled portraitist, he created numerous busts including Giacomo Puccini for the Teatro alla Scala. He showed particular interest in the anatomy of athletes and dancers, an example of which is the Boxer of the GAM of Turin from 1929. He was also very active in monumental statuary: Pius XII for St. Peter's Basilica in Rome (1963), Pius Milan (1968) and the infamous Dying Horse for the RAI Palace in Rome (1966). The composition is unusual, essential. We are on Golgotha, the landscape is bare, characterized only by the profile of the mountain in the background, a skull and two crossed tibias at the foot of the cross. The wood of the cross is long, slender, elongated, as is the body of Christ. A figure on the left standing, praying with joined hands, Saint John. On the right, in the background, a knight armed with a spear moves away, probably the soldier Longinus. Beyond the engraving at the bottom, pencil signature "Messina" and numbering 3/26. The relief technique is uncommon, it simulates leather or a bronze bas-relief. Bottom left embossed stamp 2RC, historic Roman publisher and printing house active since 1959, where the major artists of the time worked for the unique possibilities of technical experimentation and quality standards that he guaranteed. Excellent print in gilded green ink. Wide margins. Excellent state of conservation. Watermark: CM Fabriano. Bibliography: A. Paolucci, Francesco Messina. Mostra celebrativa per i 90 anni, Allemandi, 1992.

ID: 11318-1717666232-93465