Antonio Rizzo from Contesse - Untitled

The painting can be defined as a genre scene, that is, the representation of an episode from real life. These types of realistic subjects were long considered minor and only began to spread in Western art starting in the 17th century. Only with the development of 19th-century realism did everyday subjects become considered as important as historical or religious ones. Antonio Rizzo da Contesse's paintings are particularly notable for their expressionist/symbolist landscapes. However, the artist also created several scenes dedicated to the dramatic Russian campaign, in which he took part in his youth. The present work is an example of this series, which highlights his more realist approach.

In this painting, given the concreteness of the subject, an anecdotal scene taken from a wartime event, Antonio Rizzo da Contesse strives to maintain a great immediacy even in the execution. Although the work is, overall, highly figurative, the formal execution, determined by short, rapid strokes, emphasizes the immediate nature of the episode. This work by Antonio Rizzo da Contesse possesses the same freshness and vivacity of an illustration, full of interesting details, with the executional quality of a work of art. Indeed, the main distinctive feature of this painting lies in the artist's achievement of a perfect balance between realistic description and impressionistic application of the paint.

Antonio Rizzo was born in Contesse, Sicily, in 1918. He established himself in northern Italy from 1960, then also in Switzerland and Germany. He was famous for his youthful memories of the Russian military campaign, which he conveys with unwavering and painful participation. He has held numerous solo exhibitions and won numerous awards, consistently acclaimed by critics and the public.

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