Antonio Bobo' (1948) - Sirena nello Studio

AUTHOR

Antonio Bobò (1948) is an Italian painter. Born in Livorno, he is a versatile artist who currently lives and works in the Tuscan countryside, in Spianate di Altopascio. His training solidified between 1966 and 1968, the two years during which he attended the Art High School in Florence, training under maestro Renzo Biasion. Painter, engraver, sculptor and ceramist, Bobò stands out for a refined technique that often makes use of multi-material supports. His technical skill manifests in the extraordinary ability to master scratches and chromatic contrasts, always maintaining a delicate and elegant balance. Since the seventies, the artist has chosen to organize his prolific production through continuous thematic cycles, cleverly blending painting research and printmaking experimentation.

From a stylistic point of view and in terms of poetics, critics have frequently placed him within symbolism, neo-romanticism, or even an author with strong Liberty (Art Nouveau) suggestions. Yet Bobò’s art escapes conventional labels: he does not seek an absolute ideal of beauty, but uses his work to “continually deceive nature and mock history.” Through emblematic cycles such as “The Distorting Mirrors,” “The Studio of Wonders,” and “Exoduses,” the Livorno master climbs unusual visual paths, facing creative risk with irony and determination, and returning to the observer a dreamlike and deeply metaphorical view of the world.

Over the course of his long career, inaugurated with his first solo exhibition in 1960, the artist has shown in contexts of great prestige such as Palazzo Strozzi in Florence and the Grand Prix International in Monte Carlo. Today, Antonio Bobò’s creations enrich prestigious public and private collections in Italy and abroad. Among the most significant milestones is the presence at MoMA in New York within the project “The Book in Twentieth Century Italy.” More recently, in 2022, a precious core of his works—involving five refined engravings and a splendid oil on panel—was acquired by the permanent collection of Mo.C.A. (Montecatini Contemporary Art), further consolidating the value and importance of his legacy in the panorama of contemporary art.

DESCRIPTION

“Mermaid in the Studio,” oil on canvas, 50x60 cm, 1991, signed lower left. On the back, autograph note by the author with signature and title, exhibition label.

The canvas transports the observer into the dreamlike and visionary universe typical of Antonio Bobò, revealing a scene of enigmatic and theatrical charm. Within what appears to be a studio suspended outside of time, a silent and magical dialogue between creator and muse unfolds. A mythical creature, a mermaid whose tail sinuously emerges revealing elegant chromatic geometries, lies reclining inside a richly draped tub, surrendering with grace to her element. To provide a vigorous counterpoint is the imposing and concentrated figure of a artist, seen from behind, who, with a firm and measured gesture, is intent on immortalizing her on a suggestive round canvas, dominated by a gold background that radiates warm, almost sacramental light over the entire scene.

The composition is orchestrated through a skilful and balanced interlock of forms, where the curved lines of the tub, the round painting, and the female figure harmonize with the stricter fields of the background. In keeping with the refined technique of the author, the painted surface is dense and tactile, animated by those unmistakable scratches and vibrant textures that give the image a tactile three-dimensionality. The chromatic play lives on elegant contrasts: deep, dark, and nocturnal tones of the shadows and background softly clash with the warm glows of the terra-cotta, browns, and aureate highlights. This masterful layering, together with thick and scratched brushstrokes, enhances the decorative quality of the details, from the tub’s drapery to the soft interweavings of the mermaid’s hair.

Fully embedded in the thematic cycles that characterize Bobò’s prolific inquiry—ideally close in inspiration to the atmospheres of “The Studio of Wonders”—this work masterfully synthesizes his peculiar poetics. The panel is permeated by a strong reference to Symbolist art and the refined sinuosity of Liberty (Art Nouveau) origins, nevertheless reworked through a highly personal filter that blends fairy-tale enchantment with a pronounced and fascinating exotic note, clearly visible in the appearance and dress of the portrayed painter. Guiding myth into the earthly and operational dimension of the artist’s studio, Bobò confirms his subtle irony and his vocation to “deceive nature,” offering the viewer an allegorical narration where the charm of the unknown and the elegance of form celebrate the very mystery of the creative act.

CONDITION REPORT

Excellent overall condition. The work is intact in every part with vibrant and legible chroma and brushwork. The photograph of the painting placed in an environment was generated with artificial intelligence, and should be regarded as purely exemplary. Only the remaining photos, which faithfully show the object and its features, both in general and in detail, are valid.

Tracked and insured shipment with appropriate packaging.