Alighiero Boetti

Matteo Boetti, Rome
Gian Enzo Sperone, Rome
Acquired from the above by the present owner 

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustrations are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is slightly softer with the orange and yellow being richer in the original. Condition: The work is in very good condition. There is very light wear to the bottom edge in the central orange square. Close inspection reveals a loose blue string to the lower right corner of the top left square section and a loose brown string to the N towards the left centre edge.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

La persona ed il personaggio is a great example of Boetti's trademark series of Arazzi (Embroideries). In this body of work, elements of the philosophies, mathematics and symbolic contents of Eastern and Western cultures converge. The perfectly symmetrical shape of La persona ed il personaggio evokes the forms of magical numerical squares and their enchanting properties as observed by Rolf Lauter (Exhibition Catalogue, Frankfurt, Museum fur Moderne Kunst, Alighiero Boetti: Mettere al Mondo il Mondo, 1998, p. 111). In the sixteen smaller squared sections, Boetti uses lyrical text, which challenges the viewer to meditate upon communication and human experiences. Boetti incorporates in La persona ed il personaggio elements of Sufism, a mystical tradition in Islam. Boetti spent a great deal of time conversing with Sufi scholars, including the Sufi poet Berang Ramazan, whom the artist held in high esteem.

Boetti's diverse and democratic approach to art frequently involved collaborations with people both inside and outside the art world, enabling him to propagate his art widely and freely use the humblest of gestures and symbols. The present work, embroidered in Afghanistan, reveals Boetti's innovative artistic practice, which involved local craft-women. La persona ed il personaggio is a stunning work which reveals the beauty of an exotic craft and the conceptual and creative essence of its meaning.