Donna al sole
1930
Arturo Martini
A woman, nude except for a small hat, enjoys the sun. It is a classical female nude, but the headwear adds a surprising detail. The woman's posture also deviates from tradition, giving Arturo Martini’s sculpture a modern touch. In 1930s fascist Italy, sunbathing was promoted as a way to build a perfect and healthy body. The focus on the ideal body was closely linked to national pride.
Details
- Plan number: C20
- Zone: Collection pavilion
- Title: Donna al sole
- Creator: Arturo Martini
- Date: 1930
- Material: terracotta
- Acquisition: purchase, 1958
- Object number: MID.B.140
This sunbathing woman is an idealized image: a powerful, healthy nude female body enjoying the sun. Within fascist ideology, she represents the model to aspire to.
In the work of Italian sculptor Arturo Martini, his admiration for Etruscan and classical sculpture is evident, but there is also a modern touch. He became known for his public sculptures commissioned by fascist Italy in the 1930s and 1940s. Martini mainly worked figuratively and with a wide range of materials, from clay and wood to stone and silver.
From the same artist
Arturo Martini
Two women are looking at the moon from their balcony. Arturo Martini uses a typical motif from Romantic literature and painting here: the silent figure gazing at the starry sky. Since the moon is the same for everyone, people can stare at it and feel connected to their loved one, even if that person is far away. The moon is therefore associated with longing, connection, melancholy, and reflection.
Arturo Martini
‘La Nena’ (the girl) is the pet name of Maria, the daughter of Arturo Martini. In 1930 he immortalized her in terracotta. It is a lifelike image that captures Maria’s sad expression well. Martini portrays her at the moment she leaves for boarding school as a 9-year-old. She stares out of the train window with her mouth slightly open and a dreamy look. She leans forward a little, crosses her arms in front of her chest and tries to hold the hat on her twisted braids.
Arturo Martini
The inspiration for this sculpture comes from a book by Giovanni Verga, about a she-wolf in human form. About the posture of the statue, Arturo Martini says: “The natural form of man is a child crawling on all fours.” He thinks that sculptures of standing people are never beautiful.
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