Major exhibition on Italian Divisionism reopens in Novara, with new features

On October 24, the major exhibition Divisionism. The Revolution of Light: the exhibition was scheduled from November 23, 2019 to April 12, 2020, but due to the health emergency it had been closed early. It was decided to reopen it, in a Rewind version, until January 24, 2021 for the more than 30,000 people who had booked admission and were scheduled to visit during the two-month closure and for all those who expressed a desire to see it again.

TheMETS Pathways to Art Association, with the support of curator Annie-Paule Quinsac, among the leading experts on Italian Divisionism, managed to get the works back in order to propose a review that corresponded to the original scientific project: to tell the story of Italian Divisionism through eighteen artists, sixty-seven works, eight rooms. Private and museum lenders thus made the reopening of the exhibition possible. Out of sixty-seven works, only six are no longer in the exhibition itinerary, mainly for conservation reasons: among them, Gaetano Previati’s monumental Maternity, replaced by a reproduction of equal size placed at the entrance, where the original was located. The other paintings have been replaced by paintings of the same importance as the previous ones and that give the opportunity to illustrate different aspects of the themes addressed in the exhibition.

In place of Giovanni Sottocornola’s large canvas Outside the Door (The Sisters) was placed Rose Petal (1890), a masterpiece by Giovanni Segantini. A painting that presents an aspect of the artist’s symbolism. The presence of some microphotographs of non-invasive analysis, documenting the use of metals, allows the introduction of a reflection on his polymateric technique.

Sold! (1897) by Angelo Morbelli replaces Riflessioni di un affamato by Emilio Longoni. Morbelli’s work is the artist’s third painting dedicated to child prostitution.

In the room dedicated to Pellizza da Volpedo, two works have been replaced: The Procession and Sunset. Here the chronological order was maintained to give the small section a form of testimony to the artist’s evolution. La piazza di Volpedo (1888), painted in Florence under the influence of Fattori, is displayed on the same wall as Il ponte (c. 1892), an early attempt at color division. Unaltered remains the central wall with the monumental On the Barn (1893-94), a majestic outcome of the artist’s naturalist symbolism. On the left wall, on the other hand, the landscape Nubi di sera sul Curone (1905-06) remains, preceded by Il ritorno dei naufraghi al paese (L’annegato) (1894), which accentuates the impact of Sul fienile.

Finally, Morbelli’s Sunday Sunrise was replaced with Forever (1906), the last of the two canvases dedicated to tuberculosis.

Promoted and organized by the Municipality of Novara, the Fondazione Castello Visconteo Sforzesco di Novara and the METS Percorsi d’arte Association, in collaboration with ATL of the Province of Novara, BIG Ciaccio Arte and Circolo dei Lettori Foundation, with the patronage of the European Commission and the Province of Novara, and with the support of Banco BPM (Main Sponsor), Regione Piemonte, Esseco s.r.l, Fondazione CRT, and the important support of Enrico Gallerie d’arte and Gallerie Maspes, is again curated by Annie-Paule Quinsac.

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tickets: Full 10 euros, reduced 8 euros. Free for children under 6.

Image: Giovanni Segantini, Rose Petal (1890; oil on canvas with leaf and gold dust additions; private collection)

Major exhibition on Italian Divisionism reopens in Novara, with new features

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.