The history of Italian painting in the first half of the 20th century, analyzed with reference to regional schools and major cultural centers, with in-depth examination of different axes of influence, style and patronage, and a fine selection of illustrations.
[The 1900s / 1900-1945] The book analyzes Italian painting in the first half of the 20th century, tracing a geo-historical profile of Italy from the end of the 1800s to World War II, reflected in a figurative culture fragmented into a thousand particular situations due to environmental and historical factors, and due to the heightened individualism of leading figures like De Chirico, Morandi, Carrà and Sironi. The great vitality of the provinces forms the starting point for the organization of the essays, which bring out the different types of relationships between the painting and developments in architecture and sculpture.
Particular attention is devoted to other aspects as well, such as the training of Italian artists abroad, the art market and collecting. The book includes a fine range of illustrations, with reproductions of famous masterpieces and previously unpublished materials.