La Signora Sacchi

La Signora Sacchi, created by Umberto Boccioni Italian, 1882-1916 in 1907, is a foundational example of the artist's early mastery of graphic techniques. Classified as a print, this portrait utilizes the intricate method of drypoint on paper. Drypoint relies on directly incising a copper plate, raising a delicate burr along the furrows that holds the ink. This results in the soft, rich, and velvety lines visible in this rendition of the sitter. Executed before Boccioni fully committed to the revolutionary principles of Futurism, the work demonstrates his grounding in nineteenth-century portraiture and the contemporary artistic movements of Divisionism prevalent in northern Italy.

The formal strength and psychological intensity evident in the depiction of La Signora Sacchi underscore Boccioni’s meticulous draftsmanship during this formative period. While his subsequent career would be defined by dynamic representations of movement and technology, this piece shows the young artist concentrating on structural integrity and the interplay of light and shadow, demonstrating a technical proficiency that underpins his later radical innovations. Prints from this time are essential documents for tracing Boccioni's journey from a realist tradition toward abstraction.

This significant work illuminates the critical transition phase in modern Italian art leading up to the Futurist manifesto. Today, the piece is held in the renowned permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, contributing to the museum's extensive holdings of modern European prints. Due to its status and age, the image often circulates in the public domain, allowing global scholars to study this key developmental stage of Boccioni’s remarkable, albeit brief, career.