The Museum of Art Pudong and the Museo Morandi in Bologna will jointly present Giorgio Morandi: Solo, starting June 17.

In art history, few artists are as closely identified with a color system as Giorgio Morandi. Though he rarely left his hometown of Bologna, he is regarded as one of Italy's most influential painters of the 20th century and is celebrated for his soft, muted palette — now known as Morandi colors.

This exhibition brings together more than 200 works from 39 institutions and private collectors worldwide, including over 140 original pieces by Morandi. It is the largest exhibition of the artist's work this century, with more than 120 pieces being shown in China for the first time.

Covering oil painting, printmaking, and watercolor, the works depict still life, landscapes, self-portraits, family portraits, flowers, and shells. Organized into more than 30 thematic sections, the exhibition traces the full arc of Morandi's artistic journey, revealing a painter far more complex than his subdued palette might suggest.

Among the highlights are Morandi's only seascape, one of just seven self-portraits he ever painted, a portrait of his sister that has never been publicly displayed before, and a work from his rare Metaphysical period, during which he produced only 12 paintings. The exhibition also includes his wartime series of shell paintings and a selection of his seldom-seen watercolors, offering fresh insight into his creative output during that historical period.

Visitors can also explore 57 photographs of Morandi's studios, providing a glimpse into the private spaces where he lived and worked, including his studio on Via Fondazza in Bologna and his mountain retreat in Grizzana. Objects from his studio — vases, artificial flowers, tin containers, and other items that appear in his paintings — are on display, alongside his personal library and archival materials, including handwritten letters.

If you go

When: June 17 to October

Where: Museum of Art Pudong, No 2777 Binjiang Avenue, Pudong New Area

Ticket price: A single museum ticket at 80 yuan ($11.77) grants access to all exhibitions on view at the museum.

Sources: Museum of Art Pudong, Museo Morandi