Autoritratto 1928

Gerardo Dottori created this self-portrait in the style of Italian Futurism. Dominant are fractured planes of reality, with the artist's face merging into the Italian landscape. This stylistic fragmentation mirrors the anxieties and dynamism of the early 20th century. The Futurists sought to capture movement, speed, and the chaos of modern life, breaking down forms as if to dissect reality itself. Consider the fragmented face: it echoes the 'Mask of Agamemnon' where a face holds the weight of history, yet here, it is multiplied and distorted. This echoes ancient practices of physiognomy. But where once the face was read for character, here it reveals the psychological turmoil of a world in flux. What powerful force has shaped the artist’s expression, and what anxieties are held within? The fractured composition doesn’t simply capture motion; it embodies the emotional experience of modernity, creating a portrait of a mind divided, a self in pieces. These motifs are not linear, but cyclical, evolving and resurfacing.