L'elefante di Giotto, 1986

Etching, aquatint on copper plate and silkscreen print, in 4 colours, on Fabriano paper. L'elefante di Giotto (1986) by Enzo Cucchi is a striking large-format print that combines etching, aquatint, and silkscreen in four colors on Fabriano paper. Measuring 138 x 255 cm, this work envelops the viewer in a vast, shadowy expanse that evokes subterranean depths or a cosmic void. At the heart of the composition, a small illuminated cavern reveals an elephant—rendered with reverence and subtlety—emerging from a radiant tunnel. The title’s reference to Giotto, the renowned early Renaissance painter, suggests a dialogue with art history and a mythic imagination. The elephant becomes a symbol of wisdom, memory, and perhaps spiritual passage. The surrounding darkness, rendered in rich blacks and browns, is dense and atmospheric, drawing attention to the luminous central motif. Produced in an edition of 45 with ten artist’s proofs, the work reflects Cucchi's unique blend of poetic symbolism and metaphysical space, inviting contemplation of what lies hidden or forgotten in the shadows.