#MILLET #VANGOGH #DIEGO #HARVEST

Words from Canadian Collector James Thomson who shares his interpretation of internationally collected artist Antonio Diego Voci (1920-1985 VOH- chee) painting titled “Women Working in the Field”

“This painting was done in very Earthy Brown values of Colour. Three Women gleaning the Harvest. Vincent Van Gogh was captivated by the artistic work of Jean-Francois Millet. I believe that Diego was also attracted by Millet’s paintings of the hard working poor. Diego, I believe captured the essence of these gleaners’ painted as though they are covered by the soil that they must through to salvage wheat or other produce after a Harvest. Van Gogh’s masterpiece of “The Potato Eaters” and other harvesting paintings he did were I’m sure inspired by Millet’s body of works. So I’m very happy to have this somewhat different Oil of Women with Bowed Backs, dirty gowns and aprons foraging to collect food for their families.”

Note: this painting is the only known painting with a wax stamp. The wax stamp says “Naffouj Gallery”, who represented Antonio Diego Voci from 1966-1970

To view more of what Diego captured in every day life here: https://www.pinterest.com/diegovoci/every-day-any-dayby-diegovocitm/

Magnetism of Diego Never Loses Power

In this case it was quiet power of women, who make the world hold together.  The words of collector Stanley & Sibylle Wilcox follow this Diego image.

Stanley Wilcox shares with the Diego Voci Project:

“The title of this next piece is titled “Bauer bei der Ernte” (Farmers at Harvest). It measures 60 x 80 centimeters without the frame. When we first saw this large oil, my wife Sibylle and I were deeply moved by the labored facial expression of the woman standing in the foreground holding what appears to be a grain basket, and the other woman bending over a large half barrel basket with a cloth grain sack. It depicts honor and respect to hard working women in what I believe to be a childhood memory in a rural setting near to where Diego was born in Gasperina, Calabria, Italy.

Hand harvesting wheat was and still is practiced on small family farms in this region. (See interesting reference article and 1950’s/60’s photo posted at Scordo.com – Italian Food Recipes and Lifestyle: “The Wheat Harvest and Memory: Returning to Calabria”.)

Note that an almost identical scene is depicted in the background, strengthening the paintings depth and visually balancing the piece. The men are outnumbered 2 to 1 and are merely serving the role of overseeing the harvest in what I interpret as diminished supervisory capacity influenced by the overwhelming endurance of these women.”

Visit the Diego Voci Project at www.diegovociproject.com to learn more about Diego.