Venuta A Firenze by Mario MIcossi

This is a beautiful, serene etching and aquatint by Italian modernist artist Mario Micossi. Micossi is best known for his etchings depicting Italian landmarks. These are usually architectural structures, in this case the famous Brunelleschi dome of the Basilica Di Santa Maria Del Fiore arguably the most famous landmark in the city of Florence. Micossi presents a different perspective in that he has chosen to view the dome from the rear of the church, so the famous facade is not visible. This allows a more interesting study of the light, shadow, and textures of the city one mostly ignored by tourists. It's also interesting that the center of attention of the image is the trapezoidal structure leading to teh walls. The dome is off center to the right of this which enhances the interest of the composition. Micossi uses the golden section, placing the dome at the right center of image and the the tower of Arnolfo of the Palazzo Vecchio at the left center. The top of Giotto's bell tower is just visible to the left of the dome. A very interesting perspective of this famous city. Micossi uses green ink primarily with a hint of orange in the foreground. He uses the aquatint effectively to render the shadows. He uses his trademark embossing to enhance the texture and surface of the stones. This is one of the best examples of his work and presents Micossi at the zenith of Italian modernism. The plate size is 12 x 9 inches. It is signed Micossi lower right in pencil. The title is lower center and the edition, 40/80 is in pencil lower left. It is not dated, but was probably created in the 1960s his most prolific creative period. The piece is not framed and the sheet size is 17.75 x 12.5 inches. It is untrimmed. The piece appears to be in pristine condition. There are no visible tears, paper loss, fading, toning, foxing, or staining. It is crisply struck with excellent inking. A stunning example of Micossi's work.

Mario Micossi (1926-2005) is well known Italian modernist who favors the etching medium—specifically aquatint often augmented with embossing. He studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and the Udine Lyceum. He spent some time in the United States, but returned in Italy in the mid-1950s settling in Artegna, Italy. He loves the architecture of his native country and most of his work depicts famous Italian landmarks. His technique is very interesting in that he uses unusual ink colors intensely printed to define the image. While the image is realistic, the colors add an abstract sensibility to the artwork. In addition he embosses the paper to create a three dimensional surface adding depth to the image. He had a unique vision and approach. His work is held by major museums in Europe and the United States and is highly sought after.