Alighiero Boetti's Lawyer Recalls Their Friendship and the Artist's Generosity

Felice d'Alfonso del Sordo, Alighiero Boetti's lawyer, recounts their first meeting and subsequent friendship. They met formally at a legal office, then coincidentally at a friend's home later that evening, sharing a laugh that initiated a deep bond. The next day, Boetti asked d'Alfonso to be his lawyer, entrusting him with valuable items. D'Alfonso describes Boetti's creative process: he thought in images, often delegating execution to unknown artisans, such as Afghan and Pakistani women for embroidered works like maps and tapestries, or Roman assistants for biro drawings. Boetti was fascinated by legal jargon, particularly 'fattispecie a formazione progressiva' (progressive formation of a legal case), which he applied to his postal works and calendar pieces that evolved over time. D'Alfonso highlights Boetti's extraordinary generosity, exemplified when Boetti gifted him a black-ocean map prototype after d'Alfonso suggested the idea. The map was later realized in two embroidered versions, one of which is believed to be at MoMA. D'Alfonso also notes Boetti's influence on Afghan and Pakistani craftsmanship, where uncommissioned tapestries still echo his style.