Artwork
Anunciación
Anunciación is an unspecified painting by Alfredo Guttero. It dates from 1928 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts, Argentina.
About this work
Overview
Alfredo Guttero’s 1928 work *Anunciación* is executed in plaster and is part of the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires. Though classified as a painting, the piece adopts the flat, matte surface typical of plaster reliefs. It aligns with the metaphysical school, a movement that explored enigmatic, dream‑like imagery through restrained composition.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a kneeling woman in a pale‑blue dress, her hands uplifted as she gazes upward to the right. Adjacent to her, a fragment of a figure holding a white flower emerges, its remainder cut off. The gesture and the flower evoke a biblical annunciation, suggesting a moment of divine communication rendered in a quiet, contemplative tone.
Technique & Style
Guttero employed plaster to achieve a smooth, uniform surface, allowing subtle tonal shifts between dark, light, brown, and beige areas. The limited palette of muted hues contributes to a serene atmosphere, while the simplified forms and ambiguous space reflect the metaphysical emphasis on mystery over narrative detail. The relief‑like quality blurs the line between painting and sculpture.
History & Provenance
Created in 1928, *Anunciación* entered the holdings of Argentina’s National Museum of Fine Arts, where it remains on display. Guttero, a prominent modernist and cultural organizer, produced the work during a period of intense engagement with European avant‑garde ideas, bringing those influences into the Argentine artistic sphere.
Context
The piece belongs to the *scuola metafisica*, a movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century and was characterized by enigmatic, static scenes that evoke a sense of timelessness. Guttero’s adoption of this style reflects his broader interest in integrating international modernist currents with local religious iconography.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alfredo Nicolás Guttero (26 May 1882, Buenos Aires – 1 December 1932, Buenos Aires) was an Argentine modernist painter and art promoter.
Museum
National Museum of Fine Arts, Argentina
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