Mauro Bottoli - Il custode del tempo

Oil on panel that depicts a man seated on a simple wooden chair, captured in a still, composed pose. He wears a dark, lived-in suit, with a hat that partially covers his face, making him enigmatic. The figure is sturdy, rooted in space, almost fused with the environment. The colors are warm and earthy — ochre, browns, subdued reds — and contribute to creating an intimate, quiet, somewhat melancholic atmosphere. The brushwork is tactile, essential, more expressive than realistic, and seems to tell of a life made of work, waiting, and dignity. The undefined background concentrates all attention on the man, who appears suspended in time.