Double signatures reveal Velda Ponti as possible co-author of Mattia Moreni works

A recent discovery by Edit Italia, exclusive rights holder of Velda Ponti's work and archive, has revealed that several historical paintings by Mattia Moreni bear a double handwritten signature on the back: one by Moreni and one by Velda Ponti, visible only now due to differential light refraction on black pigments. This suggests that Ponti, long considered Moreni's pupil and disciple, may have been a co-author of works from their direct collaboration period (1983–1985) and possibly earlier. The finding, first published in Il Romagnolo issue 280, calls for a reassessment of attributions and critical readings of both artists. Moreni (1920–1999), a Pavia-born sculptor and painter who settled in Brisighella in the 1960s, is currently the subject of a major retrospective curated by Claudio Spadoni across five venues (Bagnacavallo, Forlì, Santa Sofia, Bologna, Ravenna) until May 2026. Ponti (1934–2020), a Faenza native, moved to Brisighella in the 1960s after marrying ceramic sculptor Walter Bartoli. She studied at the Minardi drawing school in Faenza, had her first exhibition in 1957, and later illustrated children's literature under the pseudonym Velp. Her production spanned cycles from Carciofi to Paesaggi, Uccelli, Parole e segni, Alfabeti, Contaminazioni, and Ricordi. In October 2025, the municipality of Brisighella received a donation of twenty works from her heirs, to be exhibited at the La Manica gallery in January 2026.