Early Dynastic (III), 1977

Archive number

GPO-0354

Technique

Travertine

Dimensions

Four parts h 180 cm each and each with a different number of columns placed one on top of the other, overall dimensions 180 x 180 x 180 cm

Collection

Klassik Stiftung Weimar, Weimar

Acquisitions and loans

Acquired in 1993, inventory no. PM O 6

Description

In Early Dynastic (III) four travertine elements are placed at equidistant points on an oblique pattern in relation to the surrounding axes. From one element to another the number of columns placed on top grows from one to four, with a gradual reduction in size – each column is half the size of the one beneath it – so that each of the four elements overall is the same height.
The work was made on the occasion of the solo exhibition in Mannheim in 1977, and is a replica of a first marble version made the previous year (GPO-0324). As the number in the title indicates, it is the third of five variants on the same theme made between 1971 and 1993 (GPO-0228, GPO-0257, GPO-0324, GPO-0399, GPO-0713).

Exhibitions

1977	Mannheim, Mannheimer Kunstverein, Giulio Paolini, 31 July - 28 August, not repr.
1980	Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Giulio Paolini, 10 April - 26 May, touring to: Oxford, The Museum of Modern Art, 8 June - 20 July, cited in the checklist of exhibited works and repr. p. 55 (exhibition view Mannheim 1977).
1986	Stuttgart, Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Giulio Paolini, 20 September - 2 November, cited in the checklist of exhibited works vol. 4 no. 28 p. 52, repr. vol. 3 p. 28 and on back cover (exhibition view).
1994	Weimar, Kunstsammlungen zu Weimar, Schlossmuseum, Der FŸrst schmollt - Moderne trifft Klassik: Werke aus der Sammlung Paul Maenz, 10 June - 31 July, no catalogue.
1996	Weimar, Weimarer Schloss, 27 September - 27 October, displayed alongside the solo exhibition Giulio Paolini. Impressions graphiques at the Kunsthaus Apolda Avantgarde, Weimar, are a group of works by Paolini belonging to the Paul Maenz Collection and to the Kunstsammlungen zu Weimar, no catalogue.
1999	Weimar, Neues Museum, Auffrischender Wind aus wechselnden Richtungen. Internationale Avantgarde seit 1960: Die Sammlung Paul Maenz, 1 January - 31 December, repr. cat. no. 82 p. 119, catalogue entry by H. Dickel p. 118.

Bibliography

•	Paul Maenz. Jahresbericht 1977 (Cologne: Galerie Paul Maenz, 1978), repr. n. pag. (exhibition view Mannheim 1977).
•	P. Maenz, “10 Jahre Italien”, in Kunstforum International 39, monographic issue Italienische Kunst heute edited by M. Grüterich (Mainz), March, 1980, repr. p. 214 (exhibition view Mannheim 1977).
•	Documenta 7, exhibition catalogue, Kassel, Documenta (Kassel: D+V Paul Dierichs GmbH & Co KG, 1982), vol. 1, repr. p. 185 (incompletely titled “Early Dynastic”).
•	Thoughts and Action. Joseph Beuys, Daniel Buren, Dan Graham, Bruce MacLean, Giulio Paolini, exhibition catalogue, Tokyo, The Japan Foundation, The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, The Laforet Museum (Tokyo: Flex Co. Ltd, 1982), repr. p. 113.
•	Giulio Paolini, vol. Images/Index (Villeurbanne: Le Nouveau Musée, 1984), repr. pp. 114-115 (erroneously titled “Early Dynastic (II)”).
•	Der Traum des Orpheus. Mythologie in der italienischen Gegenwartskunst 1967 bis 1984, exhibition catalogue, Munich, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, 1984, repr. p. 85.
•	Giulio Paolini. La Casa di Lucrezio, exhibition catalogue, Spoleto, Palazzo Rosari Spada (Casalecchio di Reno: Grafis Edizioni, 1984), repr. p. 17 (incompletely titled “Early Dynastic” and erroneously dated “1972”).
•	Wiener Festwochen 1987, catalogue of the Festival, Vienna 1987, repr. p. 47.
•	G. Paolini, “Trionfo della rappresentazione”, in Furor 12 (Geneva), October, 1984, repr. no. 7 (incompletely titled “Early Dynastic”).
•	Giulio Paolini. Casa di Lucrezio, 1981-84, visitor’s guide (Rivoli: Castello di Rivoli Museo d’arte contemporanea, 1987), repr. (incompletely titled “Early Dynastic”).
•	Giulio Paolini, exhibition catalogue, Nagoya, Institute of Contemporary Arts, 1987, repr. 24 (incompletely titled “Early Dynastic”).
•	F. Poli, Giulio Paolini (Turin: Lindau, 1990), repr. no. 90 (incompletely titled “Early Dynastic”).
•	Giulio Paolini. Von heute bis gestern / Da oggi a ieri, exhibition catalogue, Graz, Neue Galerie im Landesmuseum Joanneum (Ostfildern-Ruit: Cantz Verlag, 1998), col. repr. p. 250 (incompletely titled “Early Dynastic” and erroneously dated “1971-76”).
•	Die Sammlung Paul Maenz Neues Museum Weimar. Band I: Objekte, Bilder, Installationen (Weimar-Ostfildern-Ruit: Neues Museum and Hatje Cantz Verlag, 1999), repr. cat. no. 82 p. 119, catalogue entry by H. Dickel p. 118.
•	M. Disch, “Early Dynastic. Cinque opere realizzate fra il 1971 e il 1993”, in Giulio Paolini. Early Dynastic, exhibition catalogue, Rome, Studio d’Arte Contemporanea Pino Casagrande (Milan: Skira editore, 2001), pp. 15, 19, col. repr. p. 20.
•	Giorgio de Chirico. L’Enigma e la Gloria, exhibition catalogue, Catanzaro, Complesso Monumentale del San Giovanni (Catanzaro: Edizioni Ar&S, 2006), col. repr. p. 141 (erroneously dated “1978” and with incorrect indication of the ownership).
•	M. Disch, Giulio Paolini. Catalogo ragionato 1960-1999, vol. 1 (Milan: Skira editore, 2008), cat. no. 354 p. 364, col. repr.
•	Paolini. I Grandi illustrati del Corriere della Sera. Arte contemporanea – I protagonisti 8, edited by F. Gualdoni (Milan: RCS MediaGroup S.p.a., 2022), repr. p. 19 (exhibition view Mannheim 1977).
•	Giulio Paolini. A come Accademia, exhibition catalogue, Rome, Accademia Nazionale di San Luca (Rome: Gangemi Editore, 2023), repr. p. 153 (exhibition view Mannheim 1977), col. repr. p. 199 (exhibition view Stuttgart 1986).

Entry by Maddalena Disch, 30/01/2026