Giovan Francesco Gonzaga - Lieutenant of the Polish Lancers

Much of the master's work, Giovan Francesco Gonzaga, is devoted to the depiction of equestrian subjects. He analyzes in detail the movement and momentum of the rearing animal. On its back, it carries a soldier—or rather, as the title suggests, a lieutenant of the Polish lancers, his sword drawn and ready for the attack, while he turns, as we might imagine, to the army behind him.

The execution of the work is deeply linked to the technique used. Here we are faced with a silkscreen on silver plate. Silkscreen printing is a graphic design technique and perhaps the most versatile. Originating in China, it has been used in Europe since the 18th century. This graphic design technique allows for the use of textured, metallic, and other inks, as well as the application of the chosen design to various types of substrates. The word itself means "writing on silk" (since the first looms were made of this fabric). The underlying idea is to use a permeable fabric, which is treated so that the mesh of the fabric is closed, preventing the color from penetrating the substrate. This matrix is ​​then placed on the desired substrate, and the color is applied using a squeegee, leaving its imprint in the desired shape. Today, photosensitive films are commonly used instead of silk.

Gonzaga's works are distinguished by their lively, vibrant lines. This balances the carefully studied composition of the animal's anatomy with the dynamism of its movement. He thus unleashes the horse's indomitable energy with particular force, emphasizing its freedom and wild nature. In this work, he chooses to use a rich and elegant color palette, applied almost like splashes of color that contribute to the overall dynamic effect.

Giovan Francesco Gonzaga was born in Milan in 1921. He is a descendant of the noble Gonzaga family of Mantua. He says of himself: “I am a decadent, a crepuscular. I don't drive a car: I ride a horse. I spent my childhood—a golden childhood—among neighs and the scents of the stables…in the villa in Soncino, with my grandparents. My mother was involved in fashion, she went to London, Paris, and I was already in the saddle at eight years old.” He dreamed of attending the Brera Academy, but was rejected and continued his self-taught career as a painter. From a very young age, he painted horses, and his love for this animal only grew over the years, even serving in the Cavalry during the Second World War. In fact, he was primarily a figurative painter, with a nervous line and intense colors. He dedicated much of his career to the study of equestrian subjects, for which he even received the praise of De Chirico. Not only did he seek to accentuate the nobility of the animal and its rider, but he also explored dynamic momentum, energy, and movement. In 1955, he traveled to Spain, a trip that had a profound impact, especially on his vibrant palette. The master passed away in Milan in 2007.

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