May 22, 2003

Martini

Here are four of Italian graphic artist and painter Alberto Martini’s dramatic illustrations for the Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.

First of four monochrome Poe illustrations by Alberto Martini.

Martini (1876-1954) produced an estimable body of affectedly morbid prints, illustrations and other graphic work. With his feeling for the grotesque and the macabre, his work sometimes seems more akin to German than Italian art.

Second of four monochrome Poe illustrations by Alberto Martini.

In later years he concentrated more on painting - his canvases, which are poorly represented on-line (although there are a few here) often partook of a pastel-tinted surrealism, a style which, to be fair, Martini cultivated independently of the Surrealist movement proper.

Third of four monochrome Poe illustrations by Alberto Martini.

Martini’s Poe illustrations are the subject of a typically sumptuous volume published by Franco Maria Ricci of Milan, which is how I found out about them. Martini also illustrated Dante and Shakespeare, amongst others.

Fourth and last monochrome Poe illustration by Alberto Martini.

Clicking on these images will open larger versions of the same.

Posted by misteraitch at May 22, 2003 02:32 PM | TrackBack