Adolfo De Carolis (1874-1928) - Il Varo, 1908

Two-block woodcut, dimensions: 221 x 353 mm; 490 x 320 mm. Italian painter, engraver, and illustrator. He trained initially in Bologna at the Academy of Fine Arts, and once he obtained his diploma, in 1892 he moved to Rome. There he met the poet Nino Costa, founder of the cenacle In arte libertas, which proposed a renewal of art through the rediscovery of the greats of the Quattrocento, following the example of the Pre-Raphaelites. De Carolis thus began to frequent this group and became a member, starting to create paintings of a Pre-Raphaelite imprint. In 1900 he met the poet Giovanni Pascoli, for whom he designed and produced a silver pommel and the plaque for the cane, a gift from the friends of the Florentine magazine Marzocco; he then began to work on the graphic decoration of some of the poet’s publications. This collaboration proves important in his artistic output between 1892 and 1928, because the works of this period depict rural and marine landscapes that reflect Pascolian intonation. In 1901 De Carolis left Rome for Florence, where he taught ornament at the Academy of Fine Arts, dedicating himself to wood engraving. This technique would be very dear to him, and he was the first in Italy to revive the ancient technique of color woodcut with multiple blocks. Numerous are the single sheets or illustrations for various magazines and for the works of his friend D’Annunzio. This print is taken from the series dedicated to the life of the sea, composed of six sheets. A subject very dear to the artist for which he produced not only several sketches but also many photographs. In this sheet, through green and yellow inks on a white background, a boat and several men are depicted. In the foreground on the left, two full-length men who, with great strength, with muscles tensed, aided by two other leaning portaitists, pull on ropes. In the background, however, a large vessel is about to set sail; it is being carried to sea by men posed in various positions—some pushing, some pulling on ropes—to ensure that Ausonia, the name of the ship inscribed on the side, cuts the waters of the Adriatic. Ausonia is the name Latin poets after the Roman conquest (4th c. BCE) attributed to all of Italy, and in an article published in Rivista Marchigiana Illustrata, De Carolis compares the strength and audacity of the fishermen of San Benedetto to Homeric sailors. In the background the vastness of the sea to the horizon and the coast. Excellent impression on smooth ivory paper. Excellent condition. Wide margins beyond the plate edge.

Accurate packaging and shipping guaranteed.