This painting brings back to the years when the Mostre del Po (exhibit of Po) were being set up in Casalmaggiore. The river became a popular theme after the flood of 1951. Tino Aroldi was the main character of that period: introverted and always reluctant to show his works, he was nevertheless very operative in organizing and setting up exhibits for others, both in the context of artistic partnerships in Cremona and in his hometown.
Tino Aroldi curated the preparation of the 1st Mostra Nazionale in 1957 (the first national exhibit) around the Po theme, which was organized by the Pro Loco: this event exposed the town to critics' eyes thanks to the qualifications of the panel of judges and to the strict selection of permitted works. Two more editions of Mostre del Po followed the first one: in 1960 (when the town bought this Orfeo Locatelli's painting showing The Po overflow) and a less successful one in 1969.
