Gustav Klimt's Italian Legacy Explored at Mart Rovereto

A new exhibition at Mart in Rovereto traces Gustav Klimt's influence on early 20th-century Italian art, using two of his works held in Italian public collections as a starting point. The show features Klimt's 'Judith II' (1909) from Ca' Pesaro and 'The Three Ages of Woman' (1905) from the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Rome. Curated by Beatrice Avanzi, the exhibition adopts a multi-faceted approach combining historical reconstruction, stylistic comparison, and rediscovery of overlooked artists. It references Klimt's participation in the 1910 Venice Biennale and the 1911 Rome International Exhibition. The show moves from Symbolism through Secessionist atmospheres, highlighting artists like Cesare Saccaggi, Giulio Aristide Sartorio, Vittorio Zecchin, Galileo Chini, Luigi Bonazza, and Adolfo Wildt. Zecchin's section includes furniture and glass, reflecting a 'total art' concept. Wildt is presented as 'the Klimt of sculpture'. The exhibition also features works by Piero Marussig, Felice Casorati, and Mario Cavaglieri, along with a selection of Klimt's drawings on paper. Avanzi emphasizes that the show aims to outline an alternative avant-garde path that values eloquence, decoration, and the idea of total art.