Gerardo Dottori
Encyclopedia
Gerardo Dottori was an Italian
Futurist
painter. He signed the Futurist Manifesto of Aeropainting in 1929. He was associated with the city of Perugia
most of his life, living in Milan
for six months as a student and in Rome
from 1926-39.
Dottori's' principal output was the representation of landscapes and visions of Umbria
, mostly viewed from a great height. Among the most famous of these is Umbrian Spring and Fire in the City, both from the early 1920s.
to a working class family, losing his mother when he was eight years old.
He was admitted as a young man to the Academy of Fine Arts in Perugia, being employed at the same time by an antique dealer. In 1906 he worked as a decorator in Milan, where he was able to visit museums and exhibitions. He resumed his studies in 1908, mixing in avant-garde art circles in Florence
. In 1910 he began work with the magazine Defense dell'Arte.
In 1911 he went to Rome
where he met Giacomo Balla
and became an adherent of Futurism. In 1912 he joined the first Futurist group in Umbria. In 1915 he fought in the World War I
, at the same time writing Parole in libertà ("Words in freedom") which he published under the name G.Voglio.
In 1920 he founded the Futurist magazine Griffa!. In the same year he had his first exhibition in Rome. In 1924 he participated in the Futurist Congress, where he had already acquired a certain notoriety, presenting his thesis on Rural Futurism. In the same year he exhibited at the Venice
Biennale
, the first Futurist to do so, in the course of his life participating in ten Biennales.
From 1926 to 1939 he lived in Rome, contributing to various art magazines. In 1925 he exhibited at the Permanente and in 1927 at the Gallery Pesaro in the first of a series of Futurist exhibitions, including a one-man show in 1931.
His major contribution to Futurism was Aeropainting
. He was one of the signatories of the 1929 Aeropainting Manifesto, signed also by Benedetta Cappa, Depero
, Fillia
, Marinetti
, Prampolini
and others, who are among its major representatives.
In 1932 he was one of the first Futurists to paint sacred subjects, following the Futurist Manifesto of Sacred Art (1931) signed by Marinetti and Fillia. The Futurist involvement in religious art followed the signing of the Lateran Treaty between the Vatican
and Fascist
Italy in 1929.
In 1939 Dottori was appointed to the chair of painting at Perugia, remaining in that post until 1947.
In 1941 he wrote the Manifesto of Umbrian Aeropainting in which he proposed that the essence of his Futurism lay in the representation of mystically-inclined landscapes.
Dottori carried out many mural commissions, including the Altro Mondo in Perugia and the hydroport in Ostia
. Mural painting was embraced by the Futurists in the Manifesto of Mural Plasticism at a time when the revival of fresco painting was being debated in Italy.
Following a post-war silence around Marinetti's Futurism, Dottori exhibited in 1951 at Bergamini and the 1953 Biennale of Angelicum and continued to exhibit in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1989 a retrospective of Dottori's work was presented at the Gallery San Carlo.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Futurist
Futurism
Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century.Futurism or futurist may refer to:* Afrofuturism, an African-American and African diaspora subculture* Cubo-Futurism* Ego-Futurism...
painter. He signed the Futurist Manifesto of Aeropainting in 1929. He was associated with the city of Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
most of his life, living in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
for six months as a student and in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
from 1926-39.
Dottori's' principal output was the representation of landscapes and visions of Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
, mostly viewed from a great height. Among the most famous of these is Umbrian Spring and Fire in the City, both from the early 1920s.
Life
Dottori was born at PerugiaPerugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
to a working class family, losing his mother when he was eight years old.
He was admitted as a young man to the Academy of Fine Arts in Perugia, being employed at the same time by an antique dealer. In 1906 he worked as a decorator in Milan, where he was able to visit museums and exhibitions. He resumed his studies in 1908, mixing in avant-garde art circles in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. In 1910 he began work with the magazine Defense dell'Arte.
In 1911 he went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
where he met Giacomo Balla
Giacomo Balla
Giacomo Balla was an Italian painter.-Biography:Born in Turin, in the Piedmont region of Italy, the son of an industrial chemist, as a child Giacomo Balla studied music....
and became an adherent of Futurism. In 1912 he joined the first Futurist group in Umbria. In 1915 he fought in the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, at the same time writing Parole in libertà ("Words in freedom") which he published under the name G.Voglio.
In 1920 he founded the Futurist magazine Griffa!. In the same year he had his first exhibition in Rome. In 1924 he participated in the Futurist Congress, where he had already acquired a certain notoriety, presenting his thesis on Rural Futurism. In the same year he exhibited at the Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
, the first Futurist to do so, in the course of his life participating in ten Biennales.
From 1926 to 1939 he lived in Rome, contributing to various art magazines. In 1925 he exhibited at the Permanente and in 1927 at the Gallery Pesaro in the first of a series of Futurist exhibitions, including a one-man show in 1931.
His major contribution to Futurism was Aeropainting
Aeropittura
Aeropittura was a major expression of the second generation of Italian Futurism, from 1929 through the early 1940s. The technology and excitement of flight, directly experienced by most aeropainters, offered aeroplanes and aerial landscape as new subject matter.Aeropainting was surprisingly...
. He was one of the signatories of the 1929 Aeropainting Manifesto, signed also by Benedetta Cappa, Depero
Fortunato Depero
Fortunato Depero was an Italian futurist painter, writer, sculptor and graphic designer.Although born in Fondo/Malosco , Depero grew up in Rovereto and it was here he first began exhibiting his works, while serving as an apprentice to a marble worker...
, Fillia
Fillìa
Fillìa was the name adopted by Luigi Colombo, an Italian artist associated with the second generation of Futurism.-Biography:Fillìa was born in Revello, Piedmont....
, Marinetti
Filippo Tommaso Marinetti
Filippo Tommaso Emilio Marinetti was an Italian poet and editor, the founder of the Futurist movement, and a fascist ideologue.-Childhood and adolescence:...
, Prampolini
Enrico Prampolini
Enrico Prampolini was an Italian Futurist painter, sculptor and scenographer. He assisted in the design of the Exhibition of the Fascist Revolution and was active in Aeropainting....
and others, who are among its major representatives.
In 1932 he was one of the first Futurists to paint sacred subjects, following the Futurist Manifesto of Sacred Art (1931) signed by Marinetti and Fillia. The Futurist involvement in religious art followed the signing of the Lateran Treaty between the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and Fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
Italy in 1929.
In 1939 Dottori was appointed to the chair of painting at Perugia, remaining in that post until 1947.
In 1941 he wrote the Manifesto of Umbrian Aeropainting in which he proposed that the essence of his Futurism lay in the representation of mystically-inclined landscapes.
Dottori carried out many mural commissions, including the Altro Mondo in Perugia and the hydroport in Ostia
Ostia (quarter of Rome)
Ostia is a large neighbourhood in the XIII Municipio of the comune of Rome, Italy. Ostia is also the only municipio or district of Rome on the Tyrrhenian Sea and many Romans spend the summer holidays there. Sometimes it is confused with Ostia Antica, an archaeological area, that is nearby...
. Mural painting was embraced by the Futurists in the Manifesto of Mural Plasticism at a time when the revival of fresco painting was being debated in Italy.
Following a post-war silence around Marinetti's Futurism, Dottori exhibited in 1951 at Bergamini and the 1953 Biennale of Angelicum and continued to exhibit in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1989 a retrospective of Dottori's work was presented at the Gallery San Carlo.