Dimitri Plescan (1929-2010) - Ritratto Maschile

Author

Dimitri Plescan (1929-2010) was an Italian painter. He was born in Milan and trained at the Brera Academy under the guidance of Aldo Carpi, initially immersing himself in the atmosphere of Existential Realism before absorbing Neo-Expressionist influences. His artistic journey was marked by a deeply introspective exploration, starting from the observation of social reality to arrive at a visionary and almost theatrical figuration. His stylistic signature is characterized by a nervous and vibrant line, capable of probing the psychology of his subjects and translating unrest onto the canvas through dense brushstrokes and a tormented chromatic impasto, typical of his work in the 1960s.

Although he was an artist of great intellectual rigor, Plescan chose a path away from commercial circuits, passionately dedicating himself to teaching and becoming a reference figure for generations of Milanese students. His shy nature and his preference for graphics and drawing made him a less publicly exposed author, but his work remains a fundamental testament to painting as a continuous mental and spiritual exercise. He passed away in 2010 in Milan, leaving an artistic legacy based on the ability to represent the complexity of contemporary life with an unmistakable and tactile stroke.

Description

"Male Portrait", oil on panel, 40 x 30 cm, 1968, signature and date at the bottom left.

The work depicts a man caught in a moment of intense introspective suspension within a closed environment, presumably the artist's studio. The protagonist, characterized by tousled hair and hollow facial features, wears a bright yellow jacket that draws the viewer's attention. Behind him, a sparse window opens onto a faintly suggested urban exterior, where the light seems to struggle with the dense shadows inside. The presence of an empty chair on the left emphasizes the sense of solitude and the theatrical dimension of the scene, transforming the physical space into a projection of the subject's psychological state.

The compositional structure is dominated by a nervous dynamism that rejects the static nature of the traditional portrait. The brushstroke is dense, material, and tormented, typical of Plescan's maturity, where the color is almost modeled onto the canvas to create a vibrant and rough surface. The chromatic play is based on a strident contrast between the acid and sunny tones of ochres and yellows and the shadow areas resolved with deep blacks and greens. This technique, which alternates quick brushstrokes with scratches that carve into the pictorial matter, gives the work an uneasy energy, where the light does not illuminate but seems to emerge with difficulty from the chaos of graphic marks. A work of refined composition, with a significant aesthetic and emotional note.

Condition Report

Excellent overall condition. The painting is intact in every part, with vivid colors and brushstrokes that are clear and well-defined.

Tracked and insured shipment with adequate packaging.