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(Naples, 1934 – 2011)
The walk
Oil on canvas, cm. 50x70
Signed and titled 'A. GRAVINA .. ' bottom left
Frame size, cm. 79 x 99 x 7 approx.
ESTIMATE €900 – 1,200
Special Notice: This lot is offered with full RESERVES
NOTES: Published. Certificate of Guarantee and Lawful Origin. Work signed and titled lower left. Certificate of lawful origin. Work with golden frame (defects):
Wonderful oil on canvas made - by the Neapolitan painter Antonio Gravina (Naples, 1934 - 2011) - probably in the second half of the twentieth century.
The work depicts a street with a Parisian-style park. The work is animated by the presence of figures, with typical clothing of the Belle Époque period, who stroll along the street. On the right, however, it depicts a shot of the park with a view – in depth – of an ancient building. The work describes a scene of daily life experienced by the citizens of that period. With this work, the artist manages to convey a place of pleasure and relaxation to the citizens, where even the trees are not secondary protagonists, creating a placid and unitary vision.
In this work, the revolutionary and tangible sign of the impressionist current is evident, where the awakening towards life and its most intimate pleasures is evident. And this is widely seen in the representation of the many immortalized subjects, ranging from naturalistic contemporary environments such as restaurants, theatres, cafés, countryside and parks in our case, to the desire to enjoy the entertainment that the social life of the time offered. The work presents itself to our eyes with a surprising realism but with a great desire to come out into the open from the static torpor of that end-of-the-century art.
In fact, the artist uses the impressionist technique, based on the perception of reality and not on the expression of his concept; the colors are surprisingly strong, poised, pure and in small brushstrokes. In the background the brushstrokes are layered in light colors to highlight the figures; the trees, on the other hand, are dotted with short brushstrokes, but at the same time they are full-bodied and sinuous, making the work alive and throbbing, as happens in the works of the great masters of that period. The subject was outdoors and illuminated by sunlight (“en plain air” painting). The predominant color is a chromatic accord on a yellowish tint, in a perfect balance of shades worthy of mastery. The final images are realistic, with angular and carved shapes, almost deformed, to emphasize the scene.
With regard to its state of conservation, the canvas is in quite good general condition considering the age of the painting, the pictorial surface has a patina, and with the study of the magnifying glass, the thickness of the pigments and the some characteristics of the pictorial layer, compatible with the painting of the time. The painting is complete with a beautiful, well-made frame to be considered a tribute. "The frame shown in the photos above has been added to the artwork by the seller or a third party. The frame is provided to you at no additional cost so it is ready to display as soon as it arrives. The frame is included as a gift courtesy and is not considered an integral part of the artwork.Therefore, any potential damage to the frame that does not affect the artwork itself will not be accepted as a valid reason to open a claim or request cancellation of the order ."
Provenance: Coll. Sicilian private
Publication:
? The Myths and the Territory in Sicily with a thousand cultures. UNEDITED QUADRERIA general catalog of paintings from the collection of the cycle "Myths and the territory", Editore Lab_04, Marsala, 2023.
We also guarantee accurate packaging with bubble wrap / cardboard / polystyrene (packaging cost approximately € 50.00) and tracked shipping (€ 50.00 Italy). For export, the work is subject to a request for a Certificate of Free Movement (European Community) or Export Certificate (Extra-Community Transport), at the export office (Superintendence of the territory) with the times and costs incurred ( € 300 / € 600, all included: shipping, packing in wooden crate and particular exports).
The shipment could be delayed by a few days/weeks for logistical and administrative reasons. 67563805
