Items Similar to Mezzogiono al Pantheon, 1958 - Roma - Contemporary Black & White Photography
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 10
Fabrizio La TorreMezzogiono al Pantheon, 1958 - Roma - Contemporary Black & White Photography1958 (printed later)
1958 (printed later)
About the Item
Artwork sold in perfect condition
Mezzogiorno al Pantheon, 1958. At noon, a fountain in the Pantheon Square, work of Giacomo della Porta, (such as so many other achievements of this architect like the dome of Saint Peter, the fountain of Neptune in the Piazza del Popolo, the church of San Andrea della Valle, etc.) marks this place where Romans have always loved to meet. To chat, have a drink or just enjoy the spring sun.
Created during the year 1958 & printed later for the collection called "Art 2014", format 42 x 60 cm. SERIES OF 5 PRINTS + 2 AP
This series was produced during the exhibition held in Paris in November 2014, during the Month of the Photo, whose title was "Roman Walk". The choice was made of very high quality prints: baryta based cotton fiber paper without chlorine and high grammage (360 gr / m²), pigment inks. On the back, each one carries an authentication label signed by Fabrizio La Torre and a certificate signed by the curator (FB), this exhibition taking place 3 months after the artist's death
Fabrizio La Torre (b. Rome 1921 d. Brussels 2014) was an Italian neo-realist photographer working during the period 1950-1960 who left behind a body of work focussing on three specific geographical areas: Italy, North America, which he spent several months visiting in 1955 and Asia where he lived for five years (1956-61).
Fascinated by the task of capturing moments of truth and intimacy which characterise the human condition all over the world, he gives us moments of insight into life which reach out to us bridging time and distance. He holds up to us an affectionate and benign mirror, always knowing, sometimes amused but never mocking.
In 1965, success came knocking at his door: he was offered the possibility of exhibitions and publication but he turned it down for reasons he never fully explained.
The most we can do is note that this was also the time when the immense talent and historical importance of the photographic works, produced a century earlier by his grandfather Enrico Valenziani, were discovered. This may have made him feel he could not compete, particularly as he came from a family which was possessed of multiple artistic talents but in which no-one claimed to be an artist. Perhaps he saw himself as “a photographer” who was just the grandson of one of the founding fathers of Italian photography. Who knows?
In 1970 he closed his archives and gave away his cameras. He ceased to see his photography as an act of creation but merely as a kind of notebook of his many travels for his job.
In 2009 he agreed to re-open his archives and to have his photos restored and digitised. He also permitted the first printed edition of his art photos.
Far from rejecting the switch to digital photography, he welcomed the freedom to render the shades, the tones, the “sfumature” which photo labs in the 1960s saw as “imperfections”, at a time when hyper contrast was the big thing, deep blacks and anaemic whites were all the rage. Fabrizio La Torre’s vision of the world was full of different shades.
The last few years of his life were spent hard at work. He may have been a little unsteady on his legs but there was nothing wrong with his head - memory intact, imparting clear instructions and sharing many reminiscences. With Jean-Pierre De Neef and his technical team he fine-tuned every single print, perfectly willing to start all over again if necessary to achieve what he had intended 50 years earlier when the photo was taken - the desired composition, lighting and contrast.
The exhibitions, the publications, the encounters with his audience came thick and fast: in Paris at the Italian Institute of Culture in 2010, in Brussels at the Ixelles Museum in 2011, followed by the magnificent Retrospective organised in 2014 in the Principality of Monaco. For a year he worked on a daily basis, taking advantage of this major event to give his final instructions. Fate can be cruel: his heart finally gives out just two weeks before the opening of the exhibition which covers 800 square metres. However, he knows he has done what was necessary, he has passed on his instructions which embody his desire to bring to life his photographic achievements which are centred entirely on the human dimension, man’s adventures, his dreams, his fight for a better life.
Beginning in 2017, his curator, François Bayle, assisted by the team at Brussels Art Edition started work on the photos taken by Fabrizio La Torre in Asia during his five year stay in Thailand (1956-61). In November 2018, in Bangkok, a book entitled “Bangkok That Was” was published in English, which brings together these photos and, using the original notes left by the artist, tells the story of his life in Asia and expresses his affection for its people.
An exhibition with the same title took place for two months at the Serindia Gallery. Afterwards Fabrizio’s photos were taken to their permanent home in Bangkok, the cultural venue of the Central Embassy Mall where they are displayed and on sale all year round.
Meanwhile a new exhibition is planned in Bangkok and a new book published based on the pioneering efforts of Fabrizio La Torre in photographing in 1958 in the storerooms of the National Museum in Bangkok the painstaking lacquerwork representations of daily life of the Siamese people two centuries earlier.
At the very beginning of 2020 Jean-Pierre De Neef, François Bayle and their teams were working enthusiastically on two specific projects: the exhibition and the book on the lacquerwork mentioned above and a very fine exhibition planned for 2021 in New York.
Then along came the virus and upset the best-laid plans. The projects have been postponed, in all probability for a year.
In order to continue funding preparations for these two major projects, the high quality art photos, validated by the artist himself before his death, are now on sale.
This is an opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts to acquire the works of an Italian artist of recognised talent whose works are attractively priced before the exhibition in the USA, thus offering the advantage of a very strong potential for growth.
- Creator:Fabrizio La Torre (1921 - 2014, Italian)
- Creation Year:1958 (printed later)
- Dimensions:Height: 23.63 in (60 cm)Width: 16.54 in (42 cm)Depth: 0.12 in (3 mm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Framing:Framing Options Available
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Brussels, BE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU157028435462
Fabrizio La Torre, who was born in Rome (Italy) on 11 January 1921 and died in Brussels (Belgium) on 27 August 2014, he was an Italian photographer active for a 15 year period in the 1950s–1960s and whose neorealistic and intimistic works are typical of cinema and photography of that time in Italy. La Torre said that “his parents gave him his first camera, a Bakelite body with non-adjustable lens and focus which produced rather strange half format 18x24 millimeter negatives. It was with it that he took his first photos.” Since then, he tried to take pictures at any occasion especially during the different trips he made during his life, “trying to capture the daily life” of the people he encountered.
La Torre justified his "frenzy of travel" as a pretext to flee from the paternal model and the resumption of management of a family estate.
Since the early 1950s and until the late 1960s, La Torre produced less than 10 thousand photos worldwide. After this period, he gave up photography, gave away or sold his cameras, closed his archives and put them away in boxes where they would remain out of sight for 40 years.
In 2009 he agreed to re-open his archives for examination and study and allowed the restoration of a number of negatives. Gradually a first exhibition was prepared, focussing on Rome in the 1950s and ‘60s, “La Vera vita”. By this time he was 90 years old and in failing health. He realised that this was not a time to hold back and decided to cooperate fully in the restoration of his works. He moved to Brussels, in order to benefit from the availability of the technicians and experts which he would need.
In 2014, La Torre worked every day on preparations for his Retrospective in Monaco. He realised that this was his last chance to display his works as he thought best. Two weeks before the official inauguration, he died. His ashes would be placed in the little cemetery of Cap d’Ail next door to Monaco where his parents and his sister were already at rest.
La Torre never tried to only show the beautiful for fear of "making postcard". For him, "there is only the introduction of the human element that protects from looking like a postcard. This is why my naked landscapes are so rare."
Far from the paparazzi, La Torre developed his own style, working alone, ignoring the surprise and amused comments of Roman photographers obsessed with the Via Veneto and its starlets. They did have in common the laboratory to which they took their films, that of the Nannini Brothers in the city centre, two experts in high contrast images and probably the inventors of the concept of "stolen photos", out of focus and slightly grainy to give the impression of privacy revealed.
About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Seller
These experienced sellers undergo a comprehensive evaluation by our team of in-house experts.
Established in 2010
1stDibs seller since 2021
23 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: <1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Brussels, Belgium
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
More From This SellerView All
- Bambini per la strada, New York (1955) Large size Black & White Fine Art PrintLocated in Brussels, BEArtwork # 1 on 5 sold in limited edition in perfect condition This photo was made in 1955, the negative was digitized during the artist's lifetime and the technical parameters (fram...Category
1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
- Gita in famiglia, Thaïland (1957) - Large size Black & White Fine Art PrintLocated in Brussels, BEArtwork # 1 on 5 sold in limited edition in perfect condition This photo was made in 1960, printed later, the negative was digitized during the artist's lifetime and the technical p...Category
1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
- The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser (CIA-Roma)Located in Brussels, BEArtwork # 1 on 5 sold in limited edition in perfect condition This photo was made in 1953, the negative was digitized during the artist's lifetime and the technical parameters (fram...Category
1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
- Chiacchiere in piazza, 1956 - Roma - Contemporary Black & White PhotographyLocated in Brussels, BEArtwork # 2 on 5 sold in perfect condition Print called "Art 2014", format 42 x 60 cm. SERIES OF 5 PRINTS + 2 AP In Piazza Mattei, in the heart of Rome, the Turtle Fountain (1582) ow...Category
1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
- L'Attesa - Roma - # 5 on 5 - Contemporary Photorealist Black & White PhotographyLocated in Brussels, BEArtwork # 5 on 5 sold in perfect condition Print from the collection called "Art 2014", format 42 x 60 cm. SERIES OF 5 PRINTS + 2 AP Artwork printed later on fine art papers later (2014) from black & white negatives processed in 1962 She was there, leaning against a wall, she seemed to be waiting," says the photographer. I did not understand what she could expect, since few vehicles could have passed through this narrow passage. So I leaned against the wall almost in front of her, I also waited and this ray of sunshine came to play in the hanging linen...Category
1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
- Gli Elegantoni, 1956 - Roma - Contemporary Black & White PhotographyLocated in Brussels, BEArtwork # 2 on 5 sold in perfect condition Print called "Art 2014", format 42 x 60 cm. SERIES OF 5 PRINTS + 2 AP On a cart in the street, the complicated choice of a tie, an essentia...Category
1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
You May Also Like
- Bruce Springsteen at the Palladium, 1976By Allan TannenbaumLocated in White Plains, NY'Bruce Springsteen at the Palladium,' 1976 by famed American photographer, Allan Tannenbaum. Archival pigment print, 10 x 15 in. (image) on 17 x 22 in. (paper), Ed. of 50. This black and white photograph captures musician Bruce Springsteen leaning back on fans from railing, between audience and pit, at a performance at The Palladium in NYC on October, 1976. From the artists' 4th hardcover book 'Grit and Glamour: The Street Style, High Fashion, and Legendary Music of the 1970s,' published in 2016. This image was taken during Tannenbaum's tenure at The SoHo Weekly News in New York City from 1973 to 1982 where he served as Chief Photographer and Photo Editor. Allan Tannenbaum's career in photography spans more than four decades. Born in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1945, he received a B.A. in Art from Rutgers University in 1967, where he photographed for The Targum – the campus newspaper – and made films for his art courses. Gravitating to the nascent art scene in the SoHo district of Manhattan in 1972, Tannenbaum worked as a taxi driver and bartender while looking for work as a photographer. In 1973, when the SoHo Weekly News commenced publication, Tannenbaum became the Photo Editor and Chief Photographer. The newspaper started out as an eight-page free paper, but soon became a popular newsstand seller that rivaled the established Village Voice. Tannenbaum relentlessly covered the art world, music scene, politics, show business, and nightlife until 1982 when the SoHo News folded. Tannenbaum has also done documentary and feature photography in places like Thailand, Indonesia, Palau, Jordan, Bahrain, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Brazil, Israel, Iceland, and Mexico. He has covered numerous political campaigns, nominating conventions and news stories in the U.S. such as the Oklahoma City bombing and the Columbine massacre. His work has appeared in many photo books and exhibitions, as well as appearing regularly in NEWSWEEK, TIME, LIFE, ROLLING STONE, PARIS MATCH, and STERN. His photographs have graced the covers of TIME three times, and NEWSWEEK five times. He now works as an international photojournalist contributing to various noted publications including Time, Life, and Newsweek. He is the author of three books of his photography, including New York in the 70s (Feierabend, 2003), New York (Feierabend, 2004), and John and Yoko: A New York Love Story...Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Film, Archival Pigment
- Ballet - underwater black and white nude photograph - print on paper 18 x 24"By Alex SherLocated in Beverly Hills, CAAn underwater black and white photograph of a young female dancer diving in pool. The naked dances is covering herself with tutu skirt. Original gallery quality print signed by the ...Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
- Night Flight - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on paper 17"x23"By Alex SherLocated in Beverly Hills, CAAn underwater black and white nude photograph of a young woman in the pool. The photograph was taken with black backdrop. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digit...Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
- Night Flight - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on paper 23x32"By Alex SherLocated in Beverly Hills, CAAn underwater black and white nude photograph of a young woman in the pool. The photograph was taken with black backdrop. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digit...Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
- Bob Dylan portrait by Guido HarariBy Guido HarariLocated in Austin, USSigned limited edition print of Bob Dylan by Guido Harari, taken in Sirmione, Italy, 1984. Available in the following sizes: A. 11” x 16” - Edition 50 B. 16” x 20” - Edition 50 C. ...Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Portrait Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
- Siouxsie Sioux by Simon FowlerBy Simon FowlerLocated in Austin, USSigned limited edition print of Siouxsie Sioux taken by Simon Fowler in the UK Available in the following sizes: 12 x 17” - open edition 15 x 22” - Edition 35 24 x 33” - Edition 25Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Portrait Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Black Vintage Lighting
White Label
Black Label Vintage
Black Vintage Label
White Open Back
Black Door Vintage
Roma Vintage
Vintage White Doors
1958 Brussels
Roma Collection
Vintage White Round Mirror
Black Round Vintage Mirror
Al Held Prints
Pantheon Rome
Vintage Church Doors
Vintage Drink Label
Church Dome
B Andrea