Edoardo de Albertis Plaster Relief Sculpture of the "Ideal Family", Early 20th C

Item Details

Edoardo de Albertis (Italian, 1874 – 1950)
Cast plaster

Context: The plaster relief sculpture by Edoardo de Albertis was commissioned to illustrate the Ideal early 20th century Italian family under the Fascist Regime. The aluminum frame was added at a later date to stabilize the plaster.
Age: Circa 1930s (Novecento Italiano / Fascist Era)
Description: A monumental cast plaster high-relief sculpture commissioned to allegorize the ‘Ideal Family’ within the context of early 20th-century Italy. The vertical composition depicts a male figure and a draped female figure standing in profile, jointly supporting a geometric casket or chest, while a nude male youth stands between them, embracing the legs of the adult figures. The figures are stylized with classical influence typical of the Novecento Italiano movement. The panel is mounted in a later aluminum frame for stability.
Artist & Period Context: Edoardo de Albertis (1874–1950) was a significant figure in Italian sculpture, transitioning from the floral Liberty style (Italian Art Nouveau) to the more rigid and monumental Novecento style favored during the Fascist regime. This specific work likely dates to the demographic campaigns of the 1920s or 30s, which promoted the ‘traditional family’ as a pillar of the state. The composition’s emphasis on strength, continuity (symbolized by the chest/casket), and the nuclear family unit aligns with this political aesthetic.

Condition

- chip; cracks; finish loss and irregularities; residue; scratches and surface marks; wear.

Dimensions

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Item #

ITMGS49872