Millo Bortoluzzi Jr (1938-2012) - Il Toro

AUTORE

Millo Bortoluzzi Jr (1938-2012) Italian painter. Born in Dolo, near Venice, he was an exceptional heir to the great Venetian painting tradition, carrying forward with a modern sensibility the prestigious name of his grandfather Millo and his father. His training was consolidated at the Academy of Fine Arts of Venice, where he studied under masters of the caliber of Bruno Saetti. This environment, rich in history yet open to the new post-war impulses, allowed him to develop a refined technique that digs its roots in lagoon colorism, while distancing itself to embrace a more intimate and introspective view of reality. From his early days, Bortoluzzi knew how to combine the solidity of academic drawing with a luministic research capable of transfiguring the given landscape into pure visual emotion.

His style evolved in a direction that many critics have defined as lyrical expressionism, a language in which the boundary between abstraction and figuration becomes thin and permeable. His works are characterized by rarefied atmospheres, often wrapped in luminous fogs or twilight lights that render the subjects almost dreamlike. This interpretive ability led him to exhibit in contexts of great prominence, participating in numerous editions of the Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation exhibition series and earning wide acclaim in national and international showcases between Milan, Rome and abroad.

The appreciation for his production has ensured that his works have become part of prestigious public institutions and renowned private collections in Europe and the United States. Among the most significant recognitions is the presence of his works at the Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna di Ca’ Pesaro in Venice, a symbolic place that marks his role as a protagonist in the city’s art scene in the second half of the twentieth century.

DESCRIZIONE

"Toro", mixed media on cardboard, 83x63 cm with frame, 70x50 cm the cardboard alone, 1962, date and signature lower left.

In the work the subject is not depicted with a purely naturalistic intent, but emerges as a symbol of ancestral strength and primordial vigor. The bull occupies the visual field with an imposing and solid presence. Despite the figurative nature of the subject, Bortoluzzi Jr manages to transfigure the animal into a quasi-mythical vision, transforming the given reality into a form that seems to vibrate with its own life, suspended in a dimension that transcends mere observation of nature.

From a compositional point of view, the use of mixed media allows the artist to play with material stratifications and incisive graphic marks, creating a surface rich in tactile variations. The chromatic play unfolds in earthy and deep tones, skillfully contrasted with luminous glints that recall the great tradition of Venetian colorism. Light is not an external element that illuminates the scene, but appears as an intrinsic component of the painting matter itself, capable of dissolving the contours of the bull and enveloping it in that rarefied atmosphere that will become the unmistakable stylistic hallmark of the painter, making the boundary between the physical puissance of the beast and the surrounding space extremely thin and permeable.

A work of high collectible interest in the author’s production. Realized soon after the conclusion of his studies at the Academy of Venice, it demonstrates a more international experimental force that would later wane in the following years. An era in which Bortoluzzi would feel the pull of tradition and would absorb a more local taste, aligned with the Venetian experiences of the early to mid-20th century. A work of fresh and audacious composition, vibrant and dynamic in its aesthetic impact.

CONDITION REPORT

Good overall condition. The work is intact in every part with clear, readable color and lines. The frame is offered as a courtesy.

Tracked and insured shipping with appropriate packaging.