Bologna is hosting a major exhibition dedicated to Antonio Ligabue, one of the most fascinating and tormented artists of 20th-century Italian art. Until June 15, 2025, the halls of Palazzo Albergati will display over 120 of the artist’s works: 81 paintings, 14 sculptures, 17 drawings, and 15 engravings, offering a comprehensive journey through his expressive universe.
The entire exhibition is designed to tell the story of this renowned artist through a carefully structured chronological path. The works from 1927 to 1939 feature a softer palette and a narrative still closely tied to nature and the landscape. In the period from 1939 to 1952, the colors become more intense, the brushstrokes heavier and more textured, and the expressive urgency takes center stage. During the 1950s and 1960s, the painter produced an extraordinary series of self-portraits and scenes of animals in combat, which became symbols of his artistic vision.
Among his recurring subjects are lions, tigers, leopards, and birds of prey captured in the heat of survival battles—clear metaphors for the artist’s inner turmoil. Highlights of the exhibition include Tiger Head, Leopard, Fox with Bird of Prey, and the sculpture Panther, powerful examples of his remarkable sculptural talent.
