From Modigliani to Licini, works from the Bottari Lattes Foundation on display in Monforte d'Alba

In Monforte d’Alba, in the exhibition spaces of the Bottari Lattes Foundation, the exhibition Echoes of the 20th Century: the Collections of the Bottari Lattes Foundation will be held from March 29 to May 11, 2025. The exhibition, curated by Armando Audoli, will offer an overview of more than forty works selected from among the most representative of the Foundation’s holdings, allowing visitors to delve into the artistic and collecting universe of Mario Lattes (Turin, 1923 - 2001). Painter, engraver, publisher and writer, Lattes did not limit himself to collecting works of art, but developed a collecting conceived as an integral part of his creative journey. His interest in graphic art, drawing and painting is clearly visible in the works on display, which testify to his desire to explore and understand the different artistic forms of the 20th century. The exhibition not only presents the artist’s original collection, but also includes later acquisitions by Caterina Bottari Lattes, who enriched the collection with works selected according to her own sensibility.

One of the most significant nuclei of the exhibition is dedicated to engraving, with authors who have marked the history of 20th-century graphic art. Among the Italians, Luigi Bartolini and Mario Calandri, both fine engravers, stand out, while foreigners include Frenchman Jean-Pierre Velly and Czech Jiří Anderle. Their works reveal Lattes’ interest in technical quality and expressive research, demonstrating a structured and conscious collecting approach. The exhibition continues with a selection of drawings by some of the most important artists of the last century. Among them, visitors will see sheets by Amedeo Modigliani, Osvaldo Licini, Fausto Melotti and Renzo Vespignani. The focus on drawing as a tool for investigation and visual experimentation finds one of its highest expressions in these works, offering a cross-section of the different artistic sensibilities that marked the 20th century. Ample space is also devoted to painting, with works ranging from the international to the Piedmontese panorama. Alongside a prominent name such as Maurice Utrillo, a master of French painting in the first half of the 20th century, fundamental figures of the Piedmontese art scene emerge. Pinot Gallizio, occupies a prominent position in the display, flanked by Piero Ruggeri, Sergio Saroni, Giacomo Soffiantino, Albino Galvano, Carlo Terzolo, and Francesco Tabusso. The stylistic variety of these artists highlights the richness of the Lattes collection and its connection to the territory.

The initiative is not limited to the exhibition of works, but offers a program of collateral activities aimed at the public. During the entire period of the exhibition, educational workshops and guided tours for schools will be organized, offering youngsters the chance to learn about and explore 20th-century art in a direct and engaging way. The Echoes of the 20th Century exhibition will be open to visitors free of charge without reservations. Opening hours include access from Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., while on weekends and holidays the exhibition spaces will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. The event is supported by the Piedmont Region and enjoys the patronage of the Municipality of Monforte and the Union of Municipalities Hills of Langa and Barolo.

Who was Mario Lattes

Mario Lattes was a prominent painter, writer and publisher in the Turin cultural scene of the second half of the twentieth century. During World War II, to escape racial laws, he took refuge first in Rome and then in Rieti, later joining the Allied troops as an interpreter. In 1945 he returned to Turin, a city he both loved and detested. After the war, he took over as director of Lattes Editori, a publishing house founded by his grandfather Simone Lattes in 1893. He contributed writings and drawings to the main cultural magazines of the time and in 1953 founded the magazine Galleria, later renamed Questioni, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the cultural debate, not only in Turin.

Between 1958 and 1985 he wrote novels, short stories and poems, as well as his dissertation The Warsaw Ghetto, now collected in the critical edition Opere, published by Olschki. At the same time, he carried on an intense artistic activity: his first exhibition was held in 1947 at the La Bussola gallery in Turin, a sign of a path matured already during his stay in Lazio and deepened throughout his life, both as an artist and as a collector. Until the late 1990s, he exhibited with solo shows in Turin, Rome, Milan, Florence and Bologna, successfully participating in two editions of the Venice Biennale, the Quadriennale in Turin and Rome, as well as numerous group shows.

From Modigliani to Licini, works from the Bottari Lattes Foundation on display in Monforte d'Alba

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