Carnevale 1923

Editor: Antonio Donghi’s 1923 painting "Carnevale" is striking! The figures are so still, almost frozen. It’s oil paint, but they have this almost porcelain, smooth finish. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Let's look at this from a materialist perspective. Consider the oil paint: what does its use, so meticulously rendered to mimic porcelain, tell us about the artist’s labor, and the society it was made for? It wasn't exactly an aristocratic time, or was it? Editor: That’s true, 1923 was post-war. The almost unnervingly still figures—they're performers. They are representing the Carnevale, but there’s something off… it’s not joyous like you might expect. The guitarist is in a suit, the Harlequin is rigid. Is there a message related to craft, production, labor in those material details? Curator: Exactly! Think about the contrast. Donghi uses oil paint, traditionally associated with high art and portraiture of the wealthy, to depict popular performers—working-class figures of entertainment. The meticulously smooth, almost artificial surface pushes this idea further, doesn’t it? He seems to both elevate and critique this labor through his chosen materials. How does it challenge our understanding of art as either high or low? Editor: So, the choice of oil, usually used for the elite, gives dignity to the working class while the style reflects the changing attitude in this specific social context of Italy in 1923, right? The figures look very… manufactured. Is it reflecting that they're like machines? Curator: The repetitive diamond pattern of the Harlequin's costume, the identical faces...they remind us of industrial reproduction. Donghi perhaps critiques the increasing mechanization of even leisure activities, by blurring the lines between unique artistic expression and mass production. That challenges what "art" can and should be! Editor: I never considered how the materials themselves, and Donghi's method, were arguing for this shift! It’s fascinating how the choice of something as basic as oil paint contributes to such a deeper reading of "Carnevale". Curator: Indeed, by closely considering materials and how they are handled, the context in production unveils entirely new levels of meaning, as well as the artist's subtle way of shaking traditional assumptions around artistic and social boundaries.