Emplastic Oil - Fondazione Giorgio e Isa de Chirico

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SALVATORE VACANTI: FROM MURAL PAINTING TO “EMPLASTIC OIL”
fig. 6 Afro, Self-portrait, c. 1935, tempera
and oil on canvas, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte
Moderna, Rome
to Painters). 30 The text, published in May 1933, ignited a passionate
debate on mural painting, whose other key moment
occurred in December 1933 with the publishing of the
Manifesto della pittura murale (Manifesto on Mural Painting) 31
signed by Sironi, Campigli, Carrà and Funi, in “La Colonna”. 32
Young Afro Basaldella proves an interesting case in the
context of the 1930s discussion on mural painting. The
restorations carried out by the Superintendence of the
Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia on his mural
paintings in his native city Udine 33 reveal a predilection for
oil tempera. This choice can only be understood in the context
of the technical-formal debate of those years and of
Afro’s association with Corrado Cagli. Indeed, as far as is
known, Afro never used “fresco”, probably due to Cagli’s
influence. The latter drew Afro close to his artistic vision of
primordio, guiding him away from the ideological use of fresco
that was inherent to the Italian Novecento, in particular
Sironi. Contemporary critics had also noticed Afro’s preference
for oil tempera as is evidenced in Luigi Aversano’s
review of Afro's 1937 solo exhibition at Rome’s Galleria La Cometa. 34 It seems therefore possible to
accept the thesis of Teresa Perusini 35 , according to which in those years the artist used oil tempera
in his easel paintings (fig. 6) as well as in his mural paintings. Perusini also hypothesised that Afro’s
methods originated in the reading of de Chirico’s Small Treatise.
During the 1930s the issue of technique became fundamental for the rebirth of mural painting,
as is demonstrated by the controversy over the poor condition of the works at the V Triennale. The
choice of technique was as crucial a matter as the problem of the relationship between Art and
Architecture, and as the subject matter itself. Hence, an ideological bridge seems to link the debate
over “craft” of the early twenties, first enkindled by de Chirico during the “Valori Plastici” period,
with the research of the early 1930s. However, the culture of the 1920s, which was rich with technical
principals and references to tradition, would go on to acquire ideological nuances in the 1930s.
30
C. Cagli, Muri ai Pittori, in “Quadrante”, Milan May 1933; republished in Il Cagli romano: anni Venti-Trenta, exhibition catalogue E. Crispoliti ed.,
Electa, Milan 1985, pp. 74-75.
31
M. Sironi, Manifesto della pittura murale, in “La Colonna”, Milan, December 1933; republished in M. Sironi, Scritti e Pensieri, E. Ponteggia, ed.,
Abscondita, Milan 2002, pp. 43-46.
32
See Muri ai pittori. Pittura murale e decorazione in Italia 1930-1950, exhibition catalogue edited by V. Fagone, G. Ginex, T. Sparagni, Mazzotta,
Milan 1999.
33
See P. Casadio, I. Reale, La riscoperta delle tempere murali di Afro nel collegio dell’ONB a Udine, in “Bollettino d’Arte”, no. 58, 1989, pp. 73-86.
34
L. Aversano, Afro Basaldella a Roma, in “La Panarie”, no. 75, Udine, May-June 1937; cited in A. Masi, 1929-1942: Afro Basadella dalla formazione
agli anni romani, in Afro: il colore dal paesaggio all’astrazione, exhibition catalogue edited by Archivio Afro, G. Mercurio, Skira, Milan 2003, p.140.
35
See T. Perusini, Le pitture murali di Afro Basaldella tra il 1936 ed il 1955: analisi storico-tecnica e problemi di conservazione, in Architettura e materiali
del Novecento: conservazione, restauro, manutenzione, Atti del Convegno di Studi (Bressanone, 2004), edited by G. Biscontin e G. Driussi, Edizioni
Ardacia Ricerche, Venice 2004, pp. 249-260.
METAPHYSICAL ART 2010|N° 9/10