Cinghie per Trebbia

TITLE

Belts for Thrashing Machines
(Cinghie per Trebbia)

TYPE

Advertising poster

YEAR

1955

INDUSTRY

Agricultural Machinery

CLIENT

Pirelli

MEDIUM

Chromolithograph on paper

COLLECTION

National Museum Salce Collection, Treviso, Italy

CATALOG ID

0500656281

RIGHTS HOLDER

© Ministero della Cultura (Italy)

LICENSE

CC BY 4.0

DESCRIPTION

This work reflects Ottinetti’s ability to translate industrial function into a clear and controlled visual language. The composition is structured around a sweeping belt form that dominates the image, creating a strong geometric frame within which a stylized female figure is positioned. Through contrast between curved abstraction and figurative detail, along with restrained color and simplified forms, the design reduces mechanical complexity into a legible and visually balanced composition.

Situated within postwar industrial and agricultural communication, the work reflects a broader shift toward symbolic integration of product and context. Rather than isolating the mechanical component, Ottinetti connects it directly to agricultural life, linking industry and outcome through visual metaphor. The piece aligns with the evolving language of mid-century European graphic design, where abstraction and clarity were used to unify technical products with their real-world application.

Piero Ottinetti — Design Archive