The first publication bringing together the entire oeuvre of Piero Dorazio

Piero Dorazio (1927-2005) was one of the leading internationally recognized figures in post-war European abstract painting. The catalogue raisonné of Piero Dorazio's works lists approximately 5,000 artworks in chronological order, dividing them into thematic series that enable the reader to navigate the artist's extensive body of work and appreciate its profound internal coherence. The cataloguing of the works is based on rigorous scholarly research drawing on documents preserved in the Piero Dorazio Archive, studies conducted by the Technical Committee for Archival Research, and an analysis of printed materials relating to exhibitions held during the artist's lifetime. The publication is organized into three volumes collected in a single slipcase. The first volume includes works created during the 1940s and 1950s and traces Dorazio's artistic training and early maturity; the second covers the period from 1959 to the early 1980s and examines the phase of his full artistic development and international recognition; the third volume spans the 1980s to 2005 and focuses on the final dec ades of his career.

The catalogue opens with a critical essay by Francesco Tedeschi, who situates Dorazio within the complex network of artistic, critical, and cultural relationships in both the Italian and international contexts. This is followed by detailed entries on the works, compiled under the scientific supervision of the editor and Stefano Setti, as well as biographical and bibliographical appendices.

The materials are organized into sixteen sections, each introduced by historical and critical notes and accompanied by a selection of writings devoted to the artist over years. Contributors include leading critics, intellectuals, and scholars who have studied and interpreted his work, alongside Dorazio's own writings on artistic theory and poetics. The catalogue also includes an essay by Valentina Sonzogni on the archive's holdings.

Special attention has been paid to the reproduction of the works, which are presented with images scaled to reflect the dimensions and characteristics of the paintings. This allows for the best possible rendering of the delicate chromatic textures, harmonies and visual counterpoints that define Dorazio's artistic practice, which is deeply centred on the infinite possibilities of colour and light.

The Catalogue is edited by Francesco Tedeschi, with research and scientific supervision by Stefano Setti.