Antonio Sciacca (1957) - The Serpent and the Orb
08
days
20
hours
25
minutes
40
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Giulia Santoro
Specialised in 17th century Old Master paintings and drawings with auction house experience.
Estimate € 3,000 - € 3,600
No bids placed
Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 133362 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
The Serpent and the Orb is an oil painting by Italian artist Antonio Sciacca (b. 1957), signed, original edition, from period 2010–2020, measuring 70 × 49 cm, created in 2026, depicting a frontal portrait with a red-draped figure holding a golden orb and a serpent.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
In The Serpent and the Orb, Antonio Sciacca presents a figure poised between symbolic oppositions. Seated frontally and draped in deep red, the subject holds a golden orb in one hand and a serpent in the other. The composition is balanced and deliberate, allowing these two elements to exist in quiet tension rather than hierarchy.
The orb, traditionally associated with sovereignty and order, introduces a sense of permanence and control. In contrast, the serpent evokes transformation, renewal, and ambiguity. Sciacca situates these symbols within a restrained pictorial space, allowing their meanings to unfold through juxtaposition rather than narrative.
The figure’s stylised features and sculptural hair lend the work an otherworldly quality, distancing it from realism and placing it within a symbolic register. Through this controlled staging, Sciacca creates a composition that reflects on duality, where opposing forces coexist within a single, composed presence.
Oil painting - 70 x 49 cm - 2026
—
Antonio Sciacca (b. 1957, Catania) is known for his sophisticated still lifes and figurative works that draw on classical composition and contemporary introspection. His paintings are held in private collections across Europe and have been widely exhibited in Italy and abroad.
International shipments may be subject to customs duties and import taxes, which are determined by local authorities and are the responsibility of the buyer.
Havisham & Co.
Presented by Havisham & Co., representing artists whose practices preserve and reinterpret the language of European painting.
Instagram: @havishamandco
www.havishamandco.com
Seller's Story
Havisham & Co. was founded on the belief that contemporary art can still carry a sense of heritage. Working from London, we collaborate closely with a small group of artists whose practices are informed by classical balance, symbolism, and material depth. Havisham & Co. was founded on the belief that contemporary art can still carry a sense of heritage. Working from London, we collaborate closely with a small group of artists whose practices are informed by classical balance, symbolism, and material depth.
Instagram: havishamco
In The Serpent and the Orb, Antonio Sciacca presents a figure poised between symbolic oppositions. Seated frontally and draped in deep red, the subject holds a golden orb in one hand and a serpent in the other. The composition is balanced and deliberate, allowing these two elements to exist in quiet tension rather than hierarchy.
The orb, traditionally associated with sovereignty and order, introduces a sense of permanence and control. In contrast, the serpent evokes transformation, renewal, and ambiguity. Sciacca situates these symbols within a restrained pictorial space, allowing their meanings to unfold through juxtaposition rather than narrative.
The figure’s stylised features and sculptural hair lend the work an otherworldly quality, distancing it from realism and placing it within a symbolic register. Through this controlled staging, Sciacca creates a composition that reflects on duality, where opposing forces coexist within a single, composed presence.
Oil painting - 70 x 49 cm - 2026
—
Antonio Sciacca (b. 1957, Catania) is known for his sophisticated still lifes and figurative works that draw on classical composition and contemporary introspection. His paintings are held in private collections across Europe and have been widely exhibited in Italy and abroad.
International shipments may be subject to customs duties and import taxes, which are determined by local authorities and are the responsibility of the buyer.
Havisham & Co.
Presented by Havisham & Co., representing artists whose practices preserve and reinterpret the language of European painting.
Instagram: @havishamandco
www.havishamandco.com
Seller's Story
Havisham & Co. was founded on the belief that contemporary art can still carry a sense of heritage. Working from London, we collaborate closely with a small group of artists whose practices are informed by classical balance, symbolism, and material depth. Havisham & Co. was founded on the belief that contemporary art can still carry a sense of heritage. Working from London, we collaborate closely with a small group of artists whose practices are informed by classical balance, symbolism, and material depth.
Instagram: havishamco
Details
Artist
Antonio Sciacca (1957)
Sold with frame
No
Sold by
Agent
Edition
Original
Title of artwork
The Serpent and the Orb
Technique
Oil painting
Signature
Signed
Country of origin
Italy
Year
2026
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
70 cm
Width
49 cm
Depiction/theme
Portrait
Style
Baroque
Period
2010-2020
Sold by
