Antonio Sciacca (1957) - Coppa Nautilus con Corallo

In Coppa Nautilus con Corallo, Antonio Sciacca transforms the traditional still life into an object of ceremonial contemplation. The nautilus shell, historically associated with Renaissance cabinets of curiosities and princely collections, becomes here both vessel and relic. Elevated upon a sculptural bronze figure and crowned with living coral, the object exists between the natural and the mythical.

The painting explores ideas of preservation, luxury, and fragility. The luminous shell carries an almost flesh like delicacy, contrasted by the rigid brilliance of gilded ornament and the organic branching of coral. Suspended against a muted atmospheric field, the composition acquires a devotional stillness, reminiscent of sacred objects displayed for meditation rather than possession.

Sciacca’s visual language draws from Baroque collecting traditions and metaphysical symbolism, creating a work that feels simultaneously timeless and theatrical. The red drapery beneath the cup introduces a quiet sensuality, grounding the composition within the lineage of classical European painting while maintaining a distinctly contemporary tension.

Oil on Canvas
2026

Artist Bio:
Antonio Sciacca (b. 1970, Sicily) is a distinguished Italian painter celebrated for his refined fusion of classical technique and contemporary sensibility. His work reflects a deep reverence for Renaissance and Neoclassical traditions, reinterpreted through an intimate and modern lens. Sciacca’s portraits are known for their quiet strength, psychological depth, and technical precision, often incorporating mythological or historical motifs as meditations on continuity and beauty. Exhibited internationally, his paintings stand as a testament to the enduring dialogue between art, humanity, and time.