Etching, 1932, the first state (of two), signed in pencil, numbered 46/50, on wove paper, framed

With wide margins, in good condition, minor handling creases and paper discoloration in margins, further uneven discoloration, tape-staining and remains of hinges along top of sheet verso, framed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This charming selection of etchings by Giorgio Morandi demonstrates the artist’s remarkable ability to capture the extraordinary in the everyday.  Morandi’s iconic still life compositions offer a glimpse into his private studio, where he meticulously arranged cheerful flowers and earth tone ceramics.  On rare occasions, the artist also invited viewers to delight in the outdoor sanctuary of his historic hometown, as in Veduta della Montagnola di Bologna.  Acquired directly from Morandi by his dear friend, the legendary 20^th-century composer Goffredo Petrassi, these prints reflect their owner’s passion for the Italian modernist movement, which he championed.  Born in a small town outside Rome, Petrassi began his career in the capital city as a chorister with a day job at a local music shop.  Today, the grand concert hall in Renzo Piano’s Auditorium Parco della Musica is named in his honour.  The composer’s rise to stardom began in 1933 with the debut of his enthralling Partita For Orchestra at the International Society for Contemporary Music Festival.  For decades to come, Petrassi’s avant-garde sound remained sought after by ballet companies and Neorealist film producers the world over, featuring in modern classics like Riso Amaro and Non c’è pace tra gli ulivi.

The prolific composer was also a lifelong patron of the arts.  Together with his wife, the painter Rosetta Acerbi, Petrassi mingled with and encouraged fellow creatives, such as Morandi and de Chirico. His outstanding pupil, the composer Peter Maxwell Davies, recalls that daily music lessons with the “famous collector of contemporary Italian work” would “start with a discussion about art,” as Petrassi evidently believed that neither art form could exist without the other.