They are artists, writers, philosophers, scientists, as well as politicians and world leaders. Ettore Viola has portrayed them following historical and current events. You will find them here listed according to categories and accompanied by a few remarks. But what is most important is always the face and the story it tells.
In this section, you will also find material that stems from Viola’s own curiosity, never published in the papers
THE PORTRAITS
Sometimes it’s the eyes, other times the hands or eyebrows, or a detail of what they are wearing, or a particular smile. Ettore Viola’s subjects are all famous in their fields, but we don’t always know their faces. These portraits “interpret” the personalities and, through these details, bring their human dimension into focus. Here you will find a few dozen of these portraits, others will be added one or two at a time. They are listed in four large categories: artists, philosophers and scientists, public personalities, and writers. Only those that were published are found here: Viola’s portrait and its newspaper page. In short: the portrait and the context that explains why it was produced.
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
The illustrations here are relatively rare in Ettore Viola’s production: book covers, posters, ex libris, as well as, sometimes, a newspaper page that instead of presenting a personality depicts a situation, a story, a place. Especially interesting is one published in 2004 in “La Stampa” to illustrate an article by Enzo Bettiza about a taxi ride during Vietnam’s “fragile truce” in 1973. There are three characters: three women working in the fields. The looks on their faces say more than an entire book.
UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS
From Pope Wojtyla to Karl Popper, from Colette to Pasolini, from the great cartoonists to Oscar Wilde and Pina Baush: Often Ettore Viola will decide to “discuss” (illustrate) a personality beyond the newspaper page. These portraits are deeper, denser, with more detail and varied background scenes. The women especially are strong and authoritative. Almost harsh. And more will come….
