Mattia Jona, Master Drawings and Prints, Japanese Prints - Piazzetta Guastalla 5, 20122 Milan, Italy, tel (+39) 02 8053315

LUIGI CONCONI (Milan 1852 - 1917) DELUSIONE
Etching, c. 1897; an apparently unique example of an etching by Conconi pulled on silk, a masked impression to obtain, from a rectangular etched plate, a circular composition. See here for a comparison with a 'normal' impression. Signed in brush and red ink 'LConconi'. The diameter of the composition in its circular mount is 31 cm. The maximum size of the silk is 35,5 x 36 cm. See M. Bianchi, G. Ginex, 'Luigi Conconi incisore', Milan, 1994; cat. no. 44.
My warmest thanks to Matteo Crespi, who pointed me to this particular example and helped me to catalogue it.

Luigi Conconi was an architect, painter and illustrator. Born in a Milanese middle-class family, he was the nephew of the painter Mauro Conconi. Luigi studied architecture at the Accademia di Brera and at the Politecnico in Milan, and he used his architectural training occasionally throughout his career. Since his years at the Politecnico, he became acquainted with the literary and artistic circles of the Scapigliatura and Tranquillo Cremona and Daniele Ranzoni influenced his early paintings. In the 1880s Conconi moved from the Realism of Scapigliatura toward the Symbolism, developing an interest in visionary themes. He received the international recognition of prizes in Paris in 1900 and in Munich in 1913. Conconi was also a skilful and sensitive printmaker, who revived the art of the etching in Lombardy, being the leading exponent of the 'acquaforte monotipata', an etching printed with a large amount of ink left on the plate, creating evocative effects. Conconi printed personally almost all his own plates.