Renato Guttuso (1911-1987) - Margherite

RENATO GUTTUSO (1911-1987)
Margherite, 1982

Color lithograph
cm 25x20
Signature and numbering (H.C. Esemplare) in pencil on the front
Label of the Bottega dell'Arte (MI) on the back of the protective card
Good condition, sold with frame (frame to be considered complimentary)
Will be shipped carefully.

Biography of Renato Guttuso

Born in Bagheria in 1911, Aldo Renato Guttuso showed an interest in painting from a young age, also due to his father Gioacchino, passionate about letters and arts. In 1931 some of his works were exhibited at the Rome Quadriennale, marking the beginning of his artistic career. In Palermo he founded the “Group of the Four” with other artists. In 1937 he moved to Rome, immersing himself in the anti-neoclassical environment and befriending prominent figures. Guttuso, influenced by European artistic currents, stood out for his expressionism and his social commitment. In 1940 the painting The Crucifixion earned the second prize at the Bergamo Prize and simultaneously became a symbol of artistic resistance against the horrors of war.
During the war Guttuso continued to paint, depicting the humble life of Sicily and the Nazi repression. In the postwar period his artistic production broadened to include works such as The Beach (1955) and Carts in Bagheria (1956). In 1972 he painted The Funerals of Togliatti, a manifesto-work of communism now held at the Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna. Politically active, Guttuso was elected to the Senate in 1976 and 1979 as a member of the PCI. He passed away in 1987 in Rome.

Renato Guttuso’s Style and Production

Renato Guttuso was a strong advocate for social art, supporting its moral and political role. He is famous for his realist approach: his works often depict scenes of daily life, landscapes and still lifes. Many of his works reflect his communist ideals and his concern for social issues, such as oppression, war and inequity. In addition to oil paintings, the artist also produced drawings and watercolors, often as preparatory studies for his paintings or as standalone artworks in the graphic domain. Many of the painter’s works are today preserved at the Guttuso Museum in Palermo, but also at the GNAM in Rome, the GAM in Turin, and the Museo del Novecento in Milan.