Pietro Morando – I Missionari (The Missionaries)
Artist: Pietro Morando (Italian, 1889–1980)
Title: I Missionari (The Missionaries)
Date: Circa 1948
Medium: Oil on board
Dimensions: 60.3 x 94 cm (23 ¾ x 37 in)
Signature: Signed lower right: P. Morando
Inscription (verso): Pietro Morando / I Missionari / 100 Lira / via Parma 4, Alessandria
Exhibition History: 1948 Venice Biennale, No. 874
Provenance: Lot 199, Bonhams British and European Art Sale, March 13, 2024
Restoration: Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration, Chicago, IL
Framing: Julius Lowy Frame & Restoring Company, New York, NY
Overview of Pietro Morando’s I Missionari
This Pietro Morando painting, I Missionari, captures a solemn group of Catholic clergy surveying a subdued postwar landscape. Dressed in traditional black cassocks and cappello romano hats, the men stand in precise formation. Their posture mirrors the geometry of the surrounding land, creating an intentional sense of spiritual harmony and architectural order.
Morando applied oil on board to flatten space and mute his color palette, which strengthens the work’s formal stillness. Although stylized, the figures maintain a quiet humanity. They stand not as abstract forms but as enduring symbols of faith and structure in a world emerging from devastation.
Artistic Context and Postwar Significance
By the late 1940s, Pietro Morando had begun bridging Italian modernist restraint with a reflective postwar sensibility. His painting I Missionari appeared at the 1948 Venice Biennale, marking Italy’s first major cultural exhibition after World War II. This Biennale helped usher in a national revival, and Morando’s presence positioned him among its foremost modernists.
Additionally, the handwritten label on the back of the work includes the artist’s name, title, address in Alessandria, and original asking price—100 Lira. These direct studio inscriptions are rare. They not only enhance the painting’s authenticity but also provide valuable historical context.
Provenance
- Lot 199, Bonhams (British and European Art), Auction 29365
- Sale Date: March 13, 2024
- Acquired by Chicagoland Masterpiece Revival LLC
Conservation & Framing
- Painting restored by: Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration, Chicago, IL
- Frame conserved by: Julius Lowy Frame & Restoring Company, New York, NY
- Note: The original label on the verso was preserved during conservation
Availability
This rare Pietro Morando painting—shown at a major moment in European art history—is now offered for private sale. I Missionari is one of Morando’s most balanced and touching works. It has been restored with care and remains housed in a period-appropriate frame.
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Each piece in our collection is presented with attention to detail and historical respect. Together, they offer a meaningful view of twentieth-century European art reborn through expert restoration.