Giorgio Morandi

E. Ventura, Florence
Galleria d'Arte Sianesi, Milan
Ugo Mursia, Milan
Marie-Louise Jeanneret Art Moderne, Paris
Galleria del Milione, Milan
Tornabuoni Arte, Florence
Acquired from the above circa 2009

The Hague, Gemeentemuseum, Giorgio Morandi, 1954, no. 32
London, New Burlington Galleries, Giorgio Morandi, 1954, no. 29
Lisbon, Fundação Arpad Szenes-vieira da Silva, Morandi, 2002-03

Lamberto Vitali, Morandi, Dipinti, Catalogue generale, volume primo 1913/1947, Milan, 1994, no. 355, illustrated n.p.

Canvas is not lined. Under UV light: small spots of retouching at all four corners and two spots along the extreme right edge, all outside of the image area, to address prior frame abrasion. Three pin dot retouches towards upper right corner. Otherwise fine, the work is in very good condition.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Painted in 1942, Fiori is an exceptional example of Morandi’s sophisticated aesthetic and combines two of his three principal subjects: flowers and still lifes. Flowers first appeared in amateur works from his youth and persisted as a recurrent theme throughout his career. The present image is a perfectly executed example of Morandi’s supreme faithfulness to light, shadow and his characteristically monochrome palate, all of which contribute to an prevailing sense of tranquility.

Morandi was arguably the most successful Italian painter of his generation. This success, according to Lamberto Vitali, was marked by two specific tenets: "first, the need for a plastic style that could convey the volumetric fullness and richness of light and shadow in depicted objects; and second, a stubborn faithfulness to the object under scrutiny" (quoted in Flavio Fergonzi and Elisabetta Barisoni, Morandi: Master of Modern Still Life (exhibition catalogue), The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C., 2009). Morandi was profoundly dedicated to creating a sense of authenticity in his work, yet ironically he only painted sythentic flowers, never real ones. A true perfectionist, he would spend days arranging, rearranging and adjusting these silk flowers until he arrived at the perfect composition, a repetitious practice which fresh flowers could never survive.