Limited Deluxe Edition "Alberto Burri" by Maurizio Calvesi with Lithograph, 1975

Item Details

Alberto Burri (Italian, 1915–1995)
Untitled, 1975
Lithograph on paper
Signed to lower right
Numbered 12/90
For the deluxe edition of Alberto Burri by Maurizio Calvesi, 1975

Alberto Burri was a key influencer of Italian modern art. Born in 1915, he was encouraged by his parents to study medicine. By 1940, he graduated with a degree in medicine from the University of Perugia. Shortly after graduating, Italy entered WWII and Burri was called into military service as an army medic. He toured the Balkans and North Africa until he was captured by the Allies and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Texas. Unable to practice medicine, Burri spent his time creating art. Due to the lack of art materials, Burri and other artists in the camp made use of recycled and unconventional materials. He was repatriated back to Rome in 1946, and left his medical experience behind to become an artist full time. His years in the camp had a significant impact on Burri’s artistic formation. He continued using materials such as sheet metal, bark and cardboard, and moved towards abstraction. In 1950, Burri introduced fire to his work, blurring the lines between sculpture and painting. His work, signified by the unconventional materials and destruction of canvas, set the stage for Arte Povere and Art Informel. Many major post-war artists including Lucio Fontana, Robert Rauschenberg and Joseph Beuys befriended Burri. The former was the first to purchase Burri’s work. Spending much of his time with his wife in the United States, Burri was exhibited internationally early on in his artistic career. His first solo show was held at La Margherita, Rome in 1947. His first US solo show was at the Allan Fumkin Gallery in Chicago in 1953. His work continues to be exhibited after his passing in 1995, including his latest retrospective at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York in 2015 and 2016.

Condition

- tight binding; slightly loose hinges; light rubbing and wear to boards and backstrip; bowing to text block; minor page toning; lithograph has top deckled edge and slight bending to corners; wear, discoloration, and stains to slipcase.

Dimensions

- measures slipcase.

Item #

ITMA000CMR