Paesaggio is a painting by Osvaldo Licini created in 1928. The work dates from the artist’s pre-abstract period, two years before Licini’s pivotal encounter with the Parisian modernist circles that would redirect his practice toward abstraction.
Licini, born in Monte Vidon Corrado in the Marche region in 1894, had trained at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna alongside Giorgio Morandi. Throughout the 1920s, he worked in figurative modes before his artistic transformation around 1930 following contact with the Circle et Carré and Abstraction-Création groups. Paesaggio thus occupies a transitional moment in the artist’s career, representing the landscape tradition from which his subsequent abstract work would emerge.
About Osvaldo Licini
Licini spent much of his creative life balancing artistic practice with civic engagement. He served as Mayor of Monte Vidon Corrado in 1946, and his native town honoured his legacy by establishing the Centro Studi Osvaldo Licini in 1986.
Details
- Artist: Osvaldo Licini (1894–1958)
- Date: 1928
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Period: Italian interwar modernism
Frequently asked questions
Who was Osvaldo Licini?
An Italian painter born in 1894 in Monte Vidon Corrado, Licini studied at Bologna’s academy and became known as an abstract artist after 1930, following his contact with Parisian modernist movements.
Why is 1928 significant in Licini’s career?
This painting dates from just before Licini’s decisive shift toward abstraction around 1930, marking the end of his figurative period.
What happened to Licini after his artistic career?
He was elected Mayor of Monte Vidon Corrado in 1946, and the town established a research centre dedicated to his work in 1986.