Pedro Maruna (1938) - Memoria

(Zadar, Croatia, 1938).  (Tribute to John Paul II Collection, Exhibited at the Vatican) - Original Etching, Limited Edition

Artwork Details:
Title: Memoria (Memory). 
Technique: Original etching (Aguafuerte).
Dimensions: 47 cm x 40 cm. 
Edition: 333/500. The print is hand-numbered and signed by the artist in pencil. 

About the Artist and the Artwork's Meaning:

The Artist: Pedro Maruna (born 1938 in Zadar, Croatia) is a respected artist whose work often bridges complex structural forms with emotive, almost poetic, linear expressions. His graphic art is particularly noted for its intricate networks of lines and architectural resonance. 

Meaning: Titled Memoria, the etching visually interprets the accompanying evocative text: "« por el trabajo humano y su contrapunto divino, evocados en las nasas de unos pescadores... »" (for human labor and its divine counterpoint, evoked in the traps of fishermen...). Maruna captures this profound theme through an intricate, almost frenetic web of intersecting lines. The composition suggests structural forms that could be interpreted as the referenced fishing traps (nasas) or architectural ruins of memory, rendered in striking tones of blue, green, and pink against dark voids. It is a powerful meditation on labor, history, and the divine. 

Exceptional History and Provenance:

Papal Tribute: This print belongs to the historic XV Anniversary Collection, an exclusive portfolio featuring twelve highly prestigious international painters commissioned to honor H.H. John Paul II on the fifteenth anniversary of his pontificate. 

Exhibited at the Holy See: The collection was originally presented on October 17, 1995, in the Conference Room of the Vatican Typography, and the original artworks from this tribute were exhibited within the Vatican itself. 

Vatican Typography & Exclusivity: All editorial materials, including the presentation folders, were printed using the exclusive Vatican Typography. To ensure that buyers acquire a truly unrepeatable piece, the original metal printing plates were permanently destroyed at the end of the process, an act officially certified by a Notary of Vatican City. 

Quality and Collector's Value:

Masterful Execution: This etching is a testament to technical virtuosity, featuring an extraordinarily dense and delicate network of etched lines layered over subtle, aquatint-like blocks of color. The distinct plate mark confirms its authenticity as a traditional, hand-pulled original graphic work. 

Investment Opportunity: Offering a compelling blend of intricate linear abstraction, an original signature, and an impeccable, historically significant Vatican provenance, this limited edition print is an excellent acquisition for collectors of sophisticated contemporary graphic art.