Exhibition in Lecce Explores Italian Painters in Paris with Focus on Filippo de Pisis

An exhibition at the Fondazione Biscozzi-Rimbaud in Lecce, Italy, examines the work of Italian artists active in Paris during the late 1920s and early 1930s, with particular emphasis on painter Filippo de Pisis. Titled 'Filippo de Pisis e les Italiens de Paris,' the show is curated by Paolo Bolpagni and Maddalena Tibertelli de Pisis. It centers on the artistic dialogue between de Pisis and six other painters who formed the 'Groupe des Sept' within the broader 'Italiens de Paris' collective: Massimo Campigli, Giorgio de Chirico, René Paresce, Alberto Savinio, Gino Severini, and Mario Tozzi. The exhibition features over 20 works by de Pisis, created between the mid-1920s and early 1930s, displayed alongside pieces by his contemporaries. A key painting in the presentation is de Pisis's 1932 still life 'Dalie,' which represents his mature period, showing influences from Impressionism and a move away from his earlier metaphysical phase toward a more vibrant and material style. The 'Italiens de Paris' were united by an openness to international culture, formal freedom, and an anti-dogmatic view of classicism, positioning themselves in contrast to the 'return to order' promoted by the Novecento Italiano movement led by Margherita Sarfatti. Curator Paolo Bolpagni notes the group was not merely a casual gathering of artists living in Paris but a fellowship sharing ideal references and professional habits. The artists were supported by critic Waldemar George, who championed Mediterranean classicism and facilitated their participation in the 1930 Venice Biennale in a room titled 'Appels d’Italie.' They also exhibited in shows of the Italian Novecento through gallerist Léonce Rosenberg. The Lecce exhibition includes three paintings being shown in Italy for the first time, on loan from the Musée de Grenoble: de Pisis's 'I due pesci' (1927) and 'Il piede romano' (1927), and Mario Tozzi's 'Natura morta (Katinka)' (1932). The exhibition is organized by the Fondazione Biscozzi-Rimbaud and the Associazione per Filippo de Pisis.