Roberto Innocenti’s Exhibition: ‘Illustrating Time’

Until May 26:  ILLUSTRATING TIME (Illustrare il Tempo) – ROBERTO INNOCENTI. Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Via Cavour 3 – Florence. Open daily 9 am – 7 pm, closed Wednesday. Admission: €10, or €7 reduced price. 

Tuscany’s own Roberto Innocenti is recognized as the greatest Italian illustrator of our time, with an exquisite capability to transport the viewer into the scenes he portrays. While he is known for his illustrations of fables and traditional children’s stories like The Adventures of Pinocchio and A Christmas Carol, this exhibition showcases a variety of fascinating works, each collection presenting an intriguing story which blends the boundaries of reality and the imagination. 

Upon first entering, the visitor encounters a series of illustrations for Andrea Camilleri’s Montalbano, murder mystery novels set in Sicily, which were also spun off in the celebrated TV series by the same title. These images are notable examples of Innocenti’s talent in creating depth and physical accuracy in his work, a theme which remains consistent throughout the exhibition. Given such precision, it is astounding that the artist is entirely self-taught in his profession. Most of his work in the 2000s was created using handmade Fabriano paper, but since this is difficult to find today, his more modern pieces are typically in acrylic. 

The section also presents a selection of movie festival posters that Innocenti designed, including one featuring Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times.

Innocenti’s attention to detail brings the world’s favorite fables to life, from a realistic take on Cinderella to a nostalgic retelling of the Nutcracker, illustrations which truly encapsulate a sense of childlike wonder. Fans of Charles Dickens will enjoy the award-winning illustrations of A Christmas Carol, which are so full of motion that it feels as though one is watching a film. Because of this, Innocenti’s work appeals to all cultural and age demographics, a rare trait which inevitably contributed to his global success. 

Click here to see a gallery of works in the show.

The depth of his aptitude in storytelling can certainly be appreciated in his more recent work from the past two decades, which is characterized by more solemn themes and the artist’s expression of opinion on social issues. Innocenti takes his viewer through an exploration of history, notably themes from wartime Germany and the Holocaust, as in his illustrations for the books Erika’s Story and Rosa Bianca. By presenting these heartbreaking scenes from the innocent perspective of a little girl, the scenes become all the more poignant and thought-provoking. 

While the exhibition encourages the visitor to look into the past, they are also confronted with Innocenti’s vision of the future. In an ode to his famous work in fairytales, Innocenti’s The Girl In Red mimics Little Red Riding Hood and is a stark contrast between the natural beauty depicted in fairy tales in comparison with the effects caused by industrialization in the modern world, as the ‘woods’ become a shopping mall and the storytelling grandmother is a hologram. Viewers will doubtless ponder on this memorable piece.

This exhibition is truly a journey through time, and whisking the viewer away from the beautifully historic Medici-Riccardi Palace to all the worlds that Innocenti created during his award-winning career.  (Jessica Baird)