The artwork “María Sacchi Reading” is a genre painting by the artist Umberto Boccioni, created in the year 1907 in Venice, Italy. The medium used for this piece is drypoint on paper. The style of the artwork is associated with the Expressionism movement, an art movement known for its emphasis on representing emotional experience over physical reality.
The artwork portrays a figure, presumably María Sacchi, deeply engrossed in reading. The composition is intimate, focusing on the quiet, contemplative moment of the subject. The lines are dynamic, suggesting movement and the impression of fleeting time, which is characteristic of Boccioni’s approach and the broader principles of Expressionism. Surrounding objects are merely suggested, not fully defined, allowing the viewer’s attention to remain on the central figure and the act of reading. The style of the strokes varies in intensity, contributing to the depth and texture of the scene. The use of drypoint technique adds a particular richness to the line work, highlighting the artist’s hand in creating the intricate details of the artwork.
