Artwork
Le cattive madri
Le cattive madri is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Giovanni Segantini. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1898, *Le cattive madri* is an oil painting by Giovanni Segantini, an artist born in the Austrian Empire who spent his later years in Switzerland. The work belongs to the post‑Impressionist period and is currently housed in the Kunsthaus Zürich. It presents a bleak Alpine setting populated by women and children, emphasizing a mood of isolation.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a group of somberly dressed women gathered beneath a stark, leafless tree, while children in the foreground appear to be playing and weeping. The desolate landscape and muted tones suggest themes of hardship and maternal struggle, reflecting the title’s reference to “bad mothers” and evoking a symbolic critique of rural life.
Technique & Style
Segantini employs a Divisionist approach, separating colors into distinct brushstrokes that blend optically, while also integrating Symbolist motifs. Bold, expressive strokes in browns and grays dominate, and chiaroscuro modeling adds depth to the figures and the distant mountain range. The overall palette and handling convey a stark, emotional intensity characteristic of his later Alpine works.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains on display. Segantini produced the work during the final phase of his career, a period marked by his relocation to Switzerland and a shift toward more allegorical subjects within his Alpine landscapes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Segantini (15 January 1858 – 28 September 1899) was an Austrian then stateless painter known for his large pastoral landscapes of the Alps.
