Lo sport is a painting by Cesare Maggi, the Italian painter and leading Divisionist artist of the early twentieth century.
Maggi, born in Rome in 1881, established himself as one of the foremost representatives of the second generation of Divisionist painters in Italy. His artistic practice centred on the visual perception of light and its effects, a focus that extended beyond landscape into figurative subjects. Lo sport demonstrates his continued engagement with Divisionist technique—the application of colour in small, distinct touches to achieve optical mixing—applied here to the representation of athletic activity. The work reflects the artist’s sustained exploration of how light and colour could convey movement and vitality.
About Cesare Maggi
Maggi studied under Vittorio Matteo Corcos in 1897 and later under Gaetano Esposito in Naples. A turning point came through the posthumous exhibition of Giovanni Segantini’s work in Milan in 1889, which prompted Maggi’s shift to Divisionist practice. He collaborated commercially with the Milanese dealer Alberto Grubicy until 1913, a relationship that consolidated his reputation and enabled his emergence as a key figure in Italian Divisionism. He worked principally in Milan and Turin.
Details
- Creator: Cesare Maggi (1881–1961)
- Movement: Divisionism
- Period: Early twentieth century
Frequently asked questions
Who was Cesare Maggi?
Cesare Maggi was an Italian painter born in Rome in 1881 who became one of the leading representatives of the second generation of Divisionist painters in Italy, working primarily in Milan and Turin until his death in 1961.
What is Divisionism?
Divisionism is a painting technique in which colour is applied in small, distinct touches rather than being mixed on a palette, allowing the viewer’s eye to optically blend the colours. Maggi adopted this method after encountering Giovanni Segantini’s work in 1889.
What subjects did Maggi paint?
While Maggi became known for landscape painting focused on the visual perception of light and reflection, he also worked with figurative subjects such as athletic activity, as seen in Lo sport.
