Drawings

An indisputable stylistic unity, an accentuate graphism which chisels and symbolizes reality: Lanza del Vasto’s drawings don’t lack force.

We could find some similarities with icons and medieval art, but we also could sense some modern influences through their vigorous lines, rough shapes and color intensity. Gospel scenes remind us of Gustave Moreau’s, Odilon Redon’s or Georges Rouault’s style, while some of his youth sketches are worthy of a great caricaturist.

Using bright pastels, purple ink and walnut stain, brings to these drawings a concrete density which confirms the author is realistic and refuses artifices. As a drawer or a sculptor in two and three dimensions, Lanza del Vasto has respect for the truth of material and shape and gives his work an unusual authenticity.

This drawings library gathers under different topics the most remarkable pictures together, from a graphic work still very little known. Thus, this website offers a kind of virtual museum, the first two rooms of which are open and should be completed. They show:

• Lanza del Vasto’s portraits by himself, by his friend Giovanni Costetti and other artists; an iconographic investigation has begun which should enable us to better identify dates and creators. We have included La Caille’s drawings, l’Arche’s companion from the earliest days who made a lot of quick and very moving sketches.
• Biblical scenes from Old and new Testament, especially from the Mystery of Easter. Passion and Resurrection of Christ are strikingly mentioned.

Other “rooms” may be opened soon, they should successively show:

• Pictures Lanza drawn in India while making two pilgrimages (1937 with Gandhi, 1954 with Vinôbâ): big trees, indigenous faces and portraits of those nonviolent heroes.
• Representations of nature, with trees as preferred pattern as always, but also landscapes and places where he lived, as well as engravings to accompany some of his books.
• Finally, characters drawings, most of them from a completely new album Lanza offered Chanterelle, but also some Viaticum, portraits of companions and relatives as well as theatrical masks.

Come back on our site soon for these new findings!

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Portraits

 

Self-portraits

 

Costetti

 

Portraits

 

La Caille

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Bible

 

Old Testament

 

New Testament

 

Passion

 

Resurrection