Adam’s Mask by Elisabetta Mayo d’Aloisio
“So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” Genesis 2, 21-22
Elisabetta Mayo D’Aloisio must have thought of these verses, as short as they are important for the ancient and modern history of humanity, when she conceived her work “Il sonno di Adamo” (Adam’s Sleep).
Unfortunately, studies are very limited about our artist’s work, but we still do have a lot of valuable information.
For example, historian Lino Spadaccini informs us in his blog Noi vastesi, that “Il sonno di Adamo was an important work which was …published on an off-text panel in the first issue of Curzio Malaparte’s Oceanica magazine.”
We know that Curt Erich Suckert, who went by Curzio Malaparte, was one of the leading Italian intellectuals and writers, and his attention to Elisabetta Mayo’s works should make us reflect on her importance in the 20th-century art world.
The bronze that we are pleased to present here is clearly the same as the one on the artist’s website in the Works section with the title “Maschera di Adamo,” (Adam’s Mask) but we do not know if it is a draft of a major work or a creation in its own right.
From what we can glean from the photograph posted in Spadaccini’s article, the similarity between the two heads is considerable, but this does not lay all doubts to rest.
Regardless, the sculptural power of the work is of rare beauty and intensity.
Elisabetta Mayo d’Aloisio
Elisabetta Mayo (1894-1972) was Vincenzo Gemito‘s favorite student for good reason.
In my opinion, her artistic and personal partnership with the master Carlo D’Aloisio da Vasto, with whom she shared many important exhibitions, is one of the most important artistic expressions of the time, though also, unfortunately, still little studied.
Happily, thanks to Carlo D’Aloisio da Vasto (Vasto, 1892 – Rome 1971), there is renewed attention on the art of his talented family members.
I had the pleasure of meeting him personally. I have no doubt that his passion and enthusiasm will prevail over the neglect of these two great figures of the Italian artistic avant-garde of the 20th century.
This article, written by Alessandro Ricci, was published on the site