MONTICI IMAGE BANK
We feature below a representative sampling of 30 artworks selected from the Society's 350+ image database. Each piece includes the date sold; dealer/auction house selling the piece, and price paid. The categories, and the titles of most works, were created by the Society for cataloguing purposes (Blow himself titled relatively few of his works). The Society continues to add new images as members discover them on the Web, in art books and at auction sales. Our goal is to find all 1,500 pieces Richard Blow is estimated to have produced between 1946-1973.
Titles given to artworks below are internal Montici Society Catalog ID (MSID) titles.
SURREAL
“Classical Arcade and Sculpture” 9/29/18. Rago Arts. $5,625. Size: 11 x 14.5 inches. Example of the influence of Italian metaphysical painter Giorgio De Chirico on Richard Blow’s work.
ABSTRACT GEOMETRICS
“Inverted Girl with Bird and Fish” 10/24/19. Wright. $11,250. Size: 6 x 9.25 inches. Signed and dated to verso 'Richard Blow Montici 61'.
“Ball Balance Beam” 10/24/19. Wright. $10,625. Size: 9.75 x 14.5 inches. Incised to verso 'Made in Italy G-Fiaschi'.
“Fruit Bowl #1” 10/24/19. Wright. $8,750. Size: 6.5 x 13. inches.
Incised signature and date to verso “Calderani Fracassini VII -
1968 Made in Italy Richard Blow Montici 68”
HANDS
"Jeweled Hand #3 Fracassini ” 10/24/19. Wright. $17,500 Size: 7 x 11 inches. Incised to verso "Made in Italy III Fracassini - 25".
“Corno” 1/28/19. EBay. $1,875. Size: 7.5 x 4.4 inches. Signed verso by Fernando Nenci. Anyone with a knowledge and appreciation for Italian culture will immediately get this humorous, ancient Italian symbol for a cuckhold husband with an adulterous wife. A white moon hangs in the sky suggesting a night-time tryst. This piece is an example of the wide, thematic range of Montici pietra dura, and a testament to the twice-married Blow’s sense of urbane humor.
BUTTERFLIES
Butter Sky” 10/10/15. Roland (NY). $3,750. Size: 6 x 9.5 inches Signed “Richard Blow Montici 71”
“Six Butterflies #1” 4/25/10. Rago. $2,300. Size in frame: 8.5 x 10.5 inches. Note the dramatic 3-D trompe l'oeil shadow box.
CLASSICAL & MYTH
“Sicilian Triskelion” 10/24/19. Wright. $4,687. Size: 10.5 x 10 inches. Incised signature and date to verso 'Montici Firenze 60 Richard Blow'.
“Lion and Pyramid by Calderani” 10/24/19. Wright. $9,375. Size 4.75 x 9.75. Incised to verso: 'Made in Italy 18 Calderani'.”
ARCHES & BUILDINGS
“Four Arches at Night” 10/24/19. Wright. $6,250. Size: 5.75 x 8 inches.
PEOPLE
“Bare Breasted Woman and Face." Listed on askART.com. No other information.
LANDSCAPES
“Castle” 1970. Gift by Richard Blow to Oregon State University. Size 12.5 x 5.25 inches. Title supplied by Blow.
“Two Women in Landscape” 10/24/19. Wright. $3,500. Size: 12.5 x 6.5 inches. Incised to verso 'Made in Italy VIII-1959 Fracassini-30'.
SEALIFE
“Shell” 1970. Gift by Richard Blow to Oregon State University. NFS. Size 20.5 x 15 inches. Title supplied by Blow.
“Five Fish #2” 2/17/19. Myer’s Fine Art. $8,400. Size: 5.5 x 6.7 inches
ANIMALS & BIRDS
"Giraffe and Camel” 10/10/15. Roland Auctioneers. $2,550. Size: 9 x 11 inches.
" Coiled Snake” 1968. Gift by Richard Blow to Oregon State University. NFS. Size 8.7 x 8.7 inches.
"Cat and Water Pump” 10/24/19. Wright. $3,000. Size: 5.5 x 6 inches.
“Rooster” Limited Information. First Dibs. Size: 5.5 x 6.25 inches.
STILL LIFE
“Fruit Medley” 10/24/19. Wright. $16,250. Size: 10 x 8 inches.
“Figs and Leaf” 10/20/18. EBay $2,000. Size 4 x 2.5 inches.
“Mask and Mirror #1” 1/21/18. Rago Arts. $2,750. Size: 5.75 x 8.25 inches.
VEHICLES
“Green Balloon” 2/17/19. Myer’s Fine Art. $3,750. Size: 6.7 x 5.2 inches.
CELESTIAL
“Phases of the Moon” 10/24/19. Wright. $1,875. Size 2.25 x 4.5 inches
“Moon With Face Silhouette and Star” 4/25/09. Rago Arts. $3,120. Size: 7 x 5.25 inches.
FURNITURE
Sotheby Dragonfly Table” 3/2/16. Sotheby’s/EBay. $22,500.
Bronze, steel, marble. Size: 27.5 inches diameter.
“Tiger Table #2” 10/24/19. Wright. $11,250. Onyx and brass. Size 44 × 23.25 × 16.25 inches.
DESK OBJECTS
“Love Box #3” 10/24/19. Wright. $3,000 Size: 5 x 2.5 x 1.25 inches.
“Insect Paperweight Rock” 2/16/19. EBay. $500.