Soffici and Carena: A Dialogue of Ethics and Nature in Tuscany
An exhibition at the Scuderie Medicee in Poggio a Caiano highlights the works of Italian artists Ardengo Soffici (1879–1964) and Felice Carena (1879–1966), both of whom expressed a deep connection to the landscape and the human experience through a restrained artistic style. The display includes never-before-seen self-portraits: Soffici's is stark, while Carena's exudes a dreamlike quality. Both artists were influenced by Paul Cézanne and contemporaries such as Armando Spadini and Medardo Rosso. Soffici's art captures the essence of Tuscany through agrarian scenes, while Carena focuses on the human form and vibrant colors. Their artistic journeys diverged, with Soffici exploring Post-Impressionism and Cubo-Futurism, in contrast to Carena's romantic-symbolist tendencies. Niccolò Lucarelli curates the exhibition.
Key facts
- Exhibition at Scuderie Medicee in Poggio a Caiano, Tuscany
- Compares Ardengo Soffici (1879–1964) and Felice Carena (1879–1966)
- Both born in 1879
- Features previously unpublished self-portraits
- Both admired Paul Cézanne, Armando Spadini, and Medardo Rosso
- Soffici influenced by Post-Impressionism and Cubo-Futurism
- Carena influenced by El Greco, Expressionism, and Matisse
- Soffici returned to order after WWI; Carena never left it
- Carena's 'Putti ebbri danzanti' (1909) shows grotesque death masks
- Soffici's landscapes evoke Tuscan agrarian silence
- Carena's 'Pastore' depicts a prophet-like figure in desert colors
- Carena's 'Teatro popolare' references Greek tragedy and Pirandello
- Curated by Niccolò Lucarelli
Entities
Artists
- Ardengo Soffici
- Felice Carena
- Paul Cézanne
- Armando Spadini
- Medardo Rosso
- Masaccio
- Paolo Uccello
- El Greco
- Henri Matisse
- Georges Braque
- Filippo Tommaso Marinetti
- Franz von Stuck
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Édouard Manet
- Niccolò Lucarelli
Institutions
- Scuderie Medicee
- Artribune
Locations
- Poggio a Caiano
- Tuscany
- Italy
- Rignano sull'Arno
- Vittoria Apuana
- Cumiana
- Venice
- Paris
- France