Lucio Fontana

Porro & C., Milan

Private Collection, Italy (acquired from the above)

Sotheby's, Milan, 20 November 2017, lot 61 (consigned by the above)

Acquired from the above by the present owner

Luca Massimo Barbero, Lucio Fontana: Catalogo Ragionato delle Opere su Carta, Tomo II, Milan 2013, no. 46 DSP 38, p. 485, illustrated

Lucio Fontana's Concetto Spaziale (1946) represents a groundbreaking moment in the artist’s evolution, marking the very first appearance of the iconic tagli motif that would come to define his entire practice. As detailed in the 2013 edition of the works on paper catalogue raisonné for the artist, this work stands as a pivotal breakthrough in Fontana’s artistic development. It is in this piece that Fontana not only began to embrace abstraction with full commitment but also broke free from prior influences, establishing a completely new contemporary direction. Prior works had been influenced by other modernists, but Concetto Spaziale stands apart, fully embodying Fontana’s original vision and foreshadowing the cuts that would later characterize his most famous body of work.

Fontana himself described the act of creating these cuts as a deeply philosophical gesture, affirming his belief in the infinite and spirituality. As he explained, "My cuts are above all a philosophical statement, an act of faith in the infinite, an affirmation of spirituality. When I sit down to contemplate one of my cuts, I sense all at once an enlargement of the spirit, I feel like a man freed from the shackles of matter; a man at one with the immensity of the present and of the future." This profound connection to the cosmic and spiritual dimensions is at the core of Fontana's artistic journey, where destruction — through the violent rupture of the canvas — becomes a catalyst for transformation and rebirth.

Erika Billeter, in her description of Fontana's work, poignantly remarked, “With one bold stroke he pierces… a five-hundred-year evolution in Western painting and a new beginning, for destruction carries innovation in its wake” (Lucio Fontana: Venice/New York, 2006-07). This statement captures the essence of Fontana’s radical break from tradition, as his tagli — the signature slashes through the canvas — not only challenge the boundaries of painting but herald the birth of a new artistic language.

The 1946 Concetto Spaziale is particularly significant because it marks a radical departure from Fontana’s earlier explorations, which featured curvilinear and organic forms influenced by artists such as Arp and Kandinsky. In this drawing, Fontana introduces a sharp, vertical axis that cuts through the picture plane, a formal gesture that would go on to define his later works. This moment represents the first crystallization of the tagli motif, which would become a hallmark of his legacy and revolutionize the trajectory of modern art.

As the fourteenth work to bear the title Concetto spaziale, this piece holds immense historical value. Of the thirteen preceding works, six are housed by the Fondazione Lucio Fontana. While they share a focus on organic shapes, none carry the dramatic verticality and forceful intent that Concetto spaziale (1946) introduces. This drawing is a pivotal work that not only encapsulates Fontana’s philosophical and aesthetic shift but also solidifies his contribution to the broader narrative of art history. Its significance remains undeniable, as it foretells the profound impact the tagli would have on Fontana’s practice and on the development of contemporary art as a whole.