1959 Oil Painting by Antonio Nadiani

In this oil on canvas, artist Antonio Nadiani (1906-1986) has chosen to work with a limited palette, exploring how the effect of using a handful of colours can create a balanced, cohesive painting. By choosing to work with predominantly warm grey and red ochre, the artist has created unity throughout the whole canvas. These colours, combined with textured areas of paint, remind us of soft clay-like surfaces and add depth and a tactile quality to the canvas.

The combination of an identifiable urban structure with areas of abstraction creates a sense of mystery, inviting us to ponder on the location of this scene that feels simultaneously both familiar and anonymous. Visible fluid brush strokes dash around the borders of the canvas, creating a sense of movement and energy, and contrast with the solid rigidity of the architecture.