Medieval stone tower with red battlements, surrounded by stone buildings with arched windows and brick details.
Art in Umbria

Gerardo Dottori: Three Days Traveling Through the Futurist Essence of Umbria

Day Two: The Artistic Itinerary of Lake Trasimeno

After exploring Gerardo Dottori’s birthplace, the itinerary continues in the Lake Trasimeno area, a place the artist deeply loved and often chose as the backdrop for dozens of his paintings. The route extends from Magione and its surroundings, such as Montecolognola and Montesperello, to the lakeside towns of Passignano and Tuoro.

Dottori’s works in the Trasimeno area testify to his profound connection with the Umbrian landscape and the cultural and geographical context of the lake. In each location, whether in the decoration of private villas, religious buildings, or public institutions, Dottori emerges as an artist capable of blending modernity with tradition, avant-garde innovation with sacred themes. For this second day, it is recommended to travel by car.

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Stage 1
Montesperello – Church of San Cristoforo

Here, too, in this cycle of murals, the artist applies his characteristic Aeropainting style, influenced by the Umbrian tradition. His works show continuity with other sacred cycles he created in the Trasimeno area, expressing an increasing sense of peace and harmony in his treatment of religious themes.

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Stage 2
Magione

Parish Church

Between 1948 and 1949, Dottori decorated the apse of this church with a cycle characterized by a “fish-eye” perspective, a technique through which the landscape expands in Aeropainting style. In these works, we perceive a departure from the dynamic Futurism of his earlier years in favor of a calmer, more expansive landscape, later defined as part of the “new modern landscape.”

Magione Town Hall – Council Chamber

This cycle, created between 1948 and 1949, represents one of the artist’s significant public works. Dottori decorated the council chamber with landscape scenes representing 13 views of locations within the jurisdiction of Magione (Magione, Agello, Montecolognola, Torricella, Monte del Lago, San Feliciano, San Savino, Sant’Arcangelo, Borgo Giglione, Caligiana, Villa Antria, Collesanto, Montesperello, and Soccorso), interspersed with ornamental motifs.

On one of the central walls, a depiction of Magione and its ancient towers takes center stage. Dominating the room is a large historical painting portraying Fra Giovanni da Pian di Carpine, a prominent medieval explorer from Magione famous for his journey to Mongolia before the more renowned Marco Polo. In this work, Dottori combines historical realism with his typically Futurist approach, creating a celebratory yet innovative piece.

Villa Mannocchi

In 1951, Dottori worked on the decoration of this private villa in Magione. Although it is one of his later works, the decoration showcases Dottori’s mature techniques, blending his Futurist language with tradition.

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Stage 3
Montecolognola – Church of the SS. Annunziata

Between 1948 and 1949, the artist created sacred mural cycles in this church. The works reflect his interest in the Umbrian landscape and his quieter, more contemplative style. Dottori blends Umbrian iconographic tradition with Futurist elements, confirming his ability to adapt to religious themes without abandoning his personal artistic vision.

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Stage 4
Passignano sul Trasimeno

Passignano is an emblematic location in Dottori’s body of work, as it was one of the first settings where his connection with the Umbrian and lakeside landscape became evident. Here, he began to develop a style that merged modernity with tradition.

Villa D’Olindia

One of the first private residences decorated by Dottori in this area. The mural cycle created here belongs to his early work and clearly exhibits Symbolist and Art Nouveau influences. Decorative motifs include Secessionist-style female figures and a particular focus on nature and the local landscape—recurring elements in his art.

Villa Barberini

In this villa, Symbolist influences also emerge, accompanied by a strong connection to the local landscape. These cycles reflect Dottori’s interest in Aeropainting, a branch of Futurism that sought to depict the world as seen from above. This influence is clearly present in many of his works.

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Stage 5
Tuoro sul Trasimeno – Parish Church

Between 1948 and 1949, Dottori created several mural cycles in the apse of this church. The works are characterized by the use of the “fish-eye” perspective. This technique blends with sacred and religious themes, revealing a more meditative Dottori closely tied to the Umbrian tradition.

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