Gino Severini

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An Italian painter, graphic artist, art theorist and critic. One of the first and most influential Futurists in the country. Gino Severini worked for a long time in the style of cubism, maintaining relations with Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in Paris.

Under the influence of his teacher Giacomo Balla, the artist learned ways of expressing movement and speed in painting, which led him to Futurism. Together with several associates, he signed the first Futurism Manifesto in 1910.

The artist’s works are distinguished by dynamism, mobility and swiftness. At the same time, an amazing balance of composition characteristic of Cubists defines Severini’s work. This feature allows you to partially resolve the contradictions between Futurism and Cubism, to combine their attempts to create what is impossible: to depict an object at the same time from several points of time, viewing angles and positions in space. In his work, the artist came to this goal as close as possible, managing to depict a really moving, sounding and lively picture. The artist is considered an unsurpassed master in depicting the bustling nightlife of the city.

Key ideas:

– In an effort to convey movement, speed and rhythm, he achieved the goal by decomposing the object into several fragments, creating the illusion of movement in their sequence. The artist’s purely futuristic search for dynamism and speed is combined with a cubist balance of structures and elements.

– Unlike other Futurists, he was little interested in the latest technologies and mechanisms. The theme of the author’s work centered around the bustling and boiling life of the city with its cabarets and restaurants, boulevards, dancers and idle inhabitants.

– He used techniques of divisionism in his work. Paint application using the paint method enhanced the illusion of flicker, vibration and mobility. In several works, Severini used sparkles, mixing them with paints, to enhance this effect.
– Many Severini’s paintings are created in a special way and require “inclusion” of the so-called “rotational vision”. The viewer should look at the canvas from several different points of view. Only after such a viewing can you get the most complete and true impression of the composition.

– Severini was close to the theory of synesthesia, which was very popular in the early twentieth century. The artist was convinced that colour could strongly affect the human senses and cause a feeling of certain sounds, create a sense of speed. In one of his theoretical works, he wrote that “blue, lilac and emerald green” shades awaken the sounds of a waltz in your imagination.

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1883

1899

1906

1908

1910

1913

1915

1916

1921

1936

1945

1966

Gino Severini was born

Gino Severini was born into the family of a poor employee of the prosecutor’s office. At the age of 15, he had to leave high school due to problems with discipline and began working for his father. As a result, Gino never received a systematic education.

Moved to Rome

Moved to Rome, where he began studying fine arts. In the capital, the young man worked as a forwarder and attended art courses at Villa Medici in the evenings. Severini met Giacomo Balla, who introduced him to Divisionism and considerably influenced the formation of the personal style of the artist. Together with Umberto Boccioni, who became his loyal friend and ally, he studied under the guidance of Balla.

He went to Paris

He went to Paris and began working in the style of cubism. In France, the artist learned works of Cubists and met its brightest representatives – Pablo Picasso, George Braque and Juan Gris. Under their influence, Severini began his experiments in this technique. He painted several landscapes, in which the influence of Neo-impressionism is visible.

Participated in the first art exhibitions of the Paris Salons

Participated in the first art exhibitions of the Paris Salons. The artist’s paintings were shown at the Autumn Salon and the Salon of Independents. Severini’s works of that period were made in the style of analytical cubism.

He became one of the first followers of Futurism

He became one of the first followers of Futurism. Together with Balla, Boccioni and other artists and sculptors, he signed the “Technical Manifesto of Futuristic Painting”. The artist began to work in a style that was new for him, trying to express the movement and speed of objects in his paintings. Living permanently in Paris, Severini acted as an important link between Cubists of France and Futurists of Italy.

The first solo exhibition of the artist was held in London

The first solo exhibition of the artist was held in London. Severini’s works were exhibited at the London Marlboro Gallery and the Storm Magazine Gallery in Berlin. The exhibition in England caused a wide variety of reviews – from admiring to sharply negative.

He wrote works on the theme of the First World War

He wrote works on the theme of the First World War. Paintings “Armoured Train” and “Guns in Action” glorifying military power are among the best images of the futuristic military art. The artist met the war with enthusiasm. Like other Futurists, he considered military conflict a way of getting rid of everything old and the formation of a new, “purified” world.

He refused from Futurism and started painting in the classical style

He refused from Futurism and started painting in the classical style. Inspired by the creations of the masters of the Early Renaissance, the artist stopped working in avant-garde styles and switched to the naturalistic classical tradition. His most famous work of this period is “Motherhood” created in 1916.

"From Cubism to Classicism: Aesthetics of the Compass and Numbers"

Published his book “From Cubism to Classicism: Aesthetics of the Compass and Numbers”. In his theoretical work “From Cubism to Classicism”, the artist applied a scientific approach to understanding art. He described his research and experiments in painting using mathematical theories of harmony and proportion.

Took part in the Venice Biennale

Took part in the Venice Biennale. Then he moved to Rome. At the exhibition, the artist’s works occupied a whole hall. In the same year, the artist, who lived alternately in Paris and Rome, finally returned to his homeland. This was due to the Nazis’ rise to power and constant orders for painting churches and public buildings in Italy.

The artist left Italy and settled permanently in Paris

After the end of World War II, the artist left Italy and settled permanently in Paris. He began working on a two-volume book of memoirs entitled “The whole life of an artist,” which was published the following year.