Studio: international art (89.1925)

ROME

"SIAO TAI-TAl"
BY PRIMO CONTI

(Third Rome Biennial
Exhibition)

ROME.—There has always been a sense
of rivalry, which is to be admired,
between Rome and Venice in matters of
art. Both cities have claimed the right of
promoting the most important Italian
artistic events, and for this reason Italy
has an international exhibition every year,
alternatively in Venice and Rome. 0
I must say that, although this last Rome
Biennial cannot be said to be a complete
international exhibition, because of the
absence of various countries, the quality
and quantity of material collected in it
rise to the standard of that of Venice,
especially if one considers the Italian
section in which all forms of art have
found hospitality, including " futurism."

The exhibition is divided into two parts :
the ground floor, which has been given to
the Italians, whilst all the foreign coun-
tries have their section at the first floor.
There are also a few retrospective shows,
that of Boccioni, Cabianca, the School of
Posillipo, Lenbach and Corot, and also
the one man shows of Carlo Carra, Primo
Conti, Onorato Carlandi, which are very
interesting. a a a 0 a

There is also a special section devoted
to religious art in which many countries
have taken part in consideration of the
Holy Year which is being celebrated this
year in Rome. 00000

Among those younger Italian artists who
are now, through better comprehension of
the Old Masters, aiming for simplicity
and severity, the young Primo Conti, who
was noticed at Venice, and has here a
considerable number of works, is perhaps
the best Italian promise. His Chinese
portrait, which won him the much envied
Ussi Prize at Florence, is a painting that
reveals considerable skill and places him
immediately amongst the best names of
his country. 00000

Giannino Marchig, who also won the
same prize with his Death of an Author, is
also a good painter and possesses excellent
qualities, although this particular painting
is slightly too decorative and consequently
unnatural in composition. 000

Of the others of the new school, a land-
scape by Aldo Carpi is one of the best
works shown. There are also good land-
scapes by Arturo Tosi, Achille Funi and
Carlo Prada. Among the works of the
others, those of P. Marussig, E. Malerba,
Monti and Trombadori are more or less
alike, and their paintings do not differ
much from those shown in Venice. 0

The other tendency which may to-day
be called the old school (impressionists,
etc.) is well represented by F. P. Michetti,
whose work unfortunately is now so rarely
seen in exhibitions, and by Italico Brass,
Pomi, Ciardi, Wolf-Ferrari, Nomellini, P.
Chiesa, P. Dodero, Rodolfo Villani and
Antonio Discovolo. The two last-men-
tioned artists show very good portraits. 0

Sculpture is scarcely represented ; how-
ever, the names D'Antino, Wildt, Cas-
tagnino and Tofanary must be mentioned
because their work is worthy of notice. 0

In the black-and-white section one of
the most interesting things is a print from
a wood block of Giulio Cisari; this is a
work of rare merit, both for its size and
execution. 00000

After this there is a so-called " Grey
Zone," which varies from mediocrity to
fairly good ; in it the majority of works can
be placed without hesitation. 0 0

N. G. Fiumi.

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