Portrait of Fontana

This portrait was painted on the balcony of Balla’s studio on via Paisiello in Rome using the Divisionist technique. Much of the background is taken up by a large eucalyptus tree, which featured in many of the artist’s works during this period. The balcony itself also appears in various paintings by the artist, such as Girl Running on the Balcony of 1912, in which the railings emphasise the movement of the girl’s legs. The dapper subject of this work was initially thought to be the sculptor Carlo Fontana; however, in 2015 an inscription was found on the back of the canvas, which reads: “Given to me by the distinguished artist Giacomo Balla / Rome August 1907 / Ettore Fontana.” Unfortunately, it has not been possible to discover any information about the sitter.