Magical Realism in Italian Art
What is the meaning of Magical Realism in art?
Magical Realism is an artistic movement from 1929-1935 that involved a revival of neoclassical painting with an art deco flavor; a return to the forms and criteria of Piero della Francesca’s painting with metaphysical, surreal, magical settings. It is a contemplative, intellectual style that prioritizes the expressive values of composition and the perspective of light.

Who inspired Magical Realism?
The definition of Magical Realism came from the 1925 book Nach-Expressionismus – Magischer Realismus by Franz Roh.In an attempt to take stock of European art after the Great War, the German art historian described recent art research as a crystallization of ordinary structures within the ‘vague flow’ of existence. A miracle of the apparent lifespan. An enigma.
In 1927 Italian writer Massimo Bontempelli took up Roh’sthought. We can easily apply his definition of a new literary styleto figurative art.
“Realistic precision of contours. Solid material resting firmly on the ground. And around it an atmosphere of magic that makes us feel, through an intense restlessness, almost another dimension into which our life is projected. In this sense, art must dominate nature. In this sense, we have talked about magic and we have called our art Magical Realism.” cit. Massimo Bontempelli
Who are the main exponents of Magical Realism in Italy?
The main exponents of Magical Realism in Italy are Antonio Donghi (Rome 1897 – 1963), Francesco Trombadori (Syracuse 1886-Rome 1961), Riccardo Francalancia (Assisi 1886-Rome 1965), Ferruccio Ferrazzi (Rome 1891 – 1978), Virgilio Guidi, Cagnaccio di San Pietro (1897-1946) Felice Casorati, and Ubaldo Oppi (1885-1961).
Their paintings are detailed representations of real things and people suspended in a timeless atmosphere.
What are the main features of the Magical Realism genre?
The main traits of Magical Realism are a representation of reality and the addition of magical elements, a swinging between fantasy and reality. Its main iconography are open doors indicating the possibility of another realm. Artists will play on this idea by adding things like curtains, drapes, and stairs, and characters depicted from behind.