Portrait of Ida Banfi 1937

Editor: This is Romualdo Locatelli's "Portrait of Ida Banfi," created in 1937. It's an oil painting, and the figure just seems to float in a wash of greens and browns. What strikes you about this work? Curator: Oh, Ida! To me, she embodies a whispered elegance. Her soft smile feels intimate, like she's sharing a secret with the viewer. But what is she holding onto with her right hand? The fabric drapes with this very studied look as if trying to create or follow some rule of draping fabric, which always gets me. It’s like she's caught between worlds - the shimmering society she inhabits, maybe? What do you feel about it? Editor: I hadn't really considered the folds of her dress or her holding it… but it’s really an invitation to follow the lines of the fabric, right? Curator: Exactly! Look how it guides the eye up her figure, leading you back to that enigmatic smile. Locatelli was a master of suggestion; a lot of his paintings I have encountered convey a narrative but rarely a defined one. This is not realism, which feels almost voyeuristic to me; this portrait seems more personal, more dreamlike. I almost expect the green background to dissolve around her. Editor: So it's not just a picture of someone, but a capture of an emotional state or moment in time? Curator: Precisely! And consider when it was painted - 1937. Europe was teetering on the edge of war. Perhaps this painting is meant to preserve some form of gentleness and peace of mind as everything changed. How striking! Editor: That adds a whole new layer, doesn't it? It makes her serenity more poignant. Thanks for sharing! Curator: My pleasure! Every piece of art tells a story if you listen closely and it seems like you really picked that up.