Natura morta con bottiglia e brocca

Morandi is as well known as a master printmaker as he is as a sublime painter. A self-taught printmaker, he began to produced etchings in 1912 while studying at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna and went on to create around 130 prints over his almost 50 year career. Only 5 prints survive from the period 1912-20.

'Natura morta con bottiglia e brocca' 1915 is one of the first created, no 3 in Vitali’s 'L'opera grafica di Giorgio Morandi' chronological catalogue raisonné and was produced in 2 states. The Gallery’s impression is from state 1. Only a few impressions from state 1 were printed, all signed and dated but unnumbered. State 2 is distinguishable by the number II in the upper left corner.

This rare etching shows early influences of Cubism and Futurism, with the use of bold and rhythmic vertical lines, and movement created by the undulating heights of the bottles and jug and Morandi’s skilful use of crosshatching, which complicates the relationship between figure and ground. Paintings of the same period in the collections of Centre Pompidou, Augusto and Francesca Giovanardi, Milan and the Ganni Mattioli Collection also echo these influences and feature the same bottles and jug used in 'Natura morta con bottiglia e brocca'.