Giovanni Segantini, renowned as the painter of motherhood, created some of his most enigmatic works that continue to puzzle art historians and viewers today. His granddaughter, who is herself a mother of six daughters, has conducted extensive research into her grandfather's life and artistic vision, revealing a complex perspective on women that was simultaneously conservative and modern.
Two of Segantini's most significant paintings currently hang in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zurich: "The Bad Mothers" and "The Punishment of the Lustful." These mysterious works, as their provocative titles suggest, present viewers with puzzling imagery that defies easy interpretation. Both paintings depict a lightless, timeless dreamscape rendered in monochromatic blue tones that exist beyond the realm of reality.
The female figures in these works appear as surreal as the mountain landscapes in which they float, creating an otherworldly atmosphere that challenges conventional artistic representations of women. "The Bad Mothers," created between 1896 and 1897 using oil on cardboard and measuring 40 by 74 centimeters, exemplifies Segantini's unique approach to depicting feminine subjects through a lens that was both traditional and progressive for its time.
Through her research, Segantini's granddaughter has uncovered insights into how the artist's view of women reflected the complex social attitudes of his era. His artistic treatment of motherhood and femininity revealed tensions between conventional expectations and emerging modern perspectives on women's roles in society. This duality in his work demonstrates how even artists known for celebrating motherhood could simultaneously explore darker themes related to feminine identity and behavior.
The ethereal quality of these paintings, with their dreamlike mountain settings and floating female forms, represents Segantini's distinctive style that blended symbolism with his deep connection to Alpine landscapes. His ability to create works that were both beautiful and unsettling continues to captivate audiences more than a century after their creation, proving the enduring power of his artistic vision.
