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Notes
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In 'Fossili', the ancient traces of nature embody a tangible link to the past, the transient cycle of existence and the rhythm of life and death. Discernible within the fossils, human and animal-like features emerge. One fossil, lighter in hue, resembles a face, pained and hollow. The face is positioned atop what appears to be a hat stand crafted from green wood, serving as a metaphor, in the artist’s own words, of a ‘nature sequestered by tourism, in front of the ruins more or less rebuilt, surrounded by the hideous constructions of developers and speculators.’ The darker one, akin to wood, takes on the appearance of a falcon posed for flight. The unconventional composition highlights a contrast between the superficial destruction of nature in the 1950s (a concern for Bona) and an internal illumination.
Title
Fossili
Date
1952
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 73 x W 60 cm
Accession number
88
Work type
Painting
