Nicolás Di Gesù (XXI) - Postmortem with Crucifix

Atmospheric contemporary figurative oil painting by Argentine artist Nicolás Di Gesu, exploring the relationship between mortality, nature and the cycles of life and decay.

The composition depicts a reclining female figure resting in a dark, moonlit landscape. Her eyes are closed and her hands are gently placed against her chest, suggesting a state suspended between sleep, stillness and death. Above her, a luminous full moon illuminates the surrounding vegetation, while small organic forms scattered across the ground introduce a subtle reference to the natural processes of decomposition and renewal.

The title, Postmortem with Micelio, evokes the world of mycelium: the intricate underground network of fungi that breaks down organic matter and contributes to the regeneration of ecosystems. This biological reference adds another layer to the painting, suggesting that death is not simply an ending, but also part of a continuous process of transformation within nature.

Executed in oil on linen canvas mounted on wood, the work is characterised by expressive brushwork, a restrained palette of earthy greens and deep browns, and the contrast between the pale figure and the surrounding nocturnal landscape. The delicate treatment of light creates an intimate and contemplative atmosphere.

Drawing on the tradition of classical figurative painting while exploring distinctly contemporary themes, Di Gesu invites the viewer to consider the human body as part of the natural world, subject to the same cycles of vulnerability, decay and renewal.

A compelling work for collectors of contemporary figurative painting, symbolic art, Vanitas, Memento Mori and contemporary interpretations of classical painting.

Artist: Nicolás Di Gesu (Argentina, contemporary)
Title: Postmortem with Micelio
Technique: Oil on linen canvas mounted on wood
Dimensions: 31 × 42 cm

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Nicolás Di Gesu

Nicolás Di Gesu is an Argentine contemporary figurative painter whose work explores the tension between the human instinct for life and the inevitability of death. Based in Madrid, his practice is concerned with the fragile boundaries between existence, vulnerability and the natural order of things.

His artistic formation began in Buenos Aires, where he studied drawing and painting at the atelier of Ariel Gulluni. He later continued his training in Madrid at Atelier Madrid, under the guidance of Arantzazu Martínez and Mikel Olazábal, before becoming an apprentice and assistant to the Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum.

Working primarily in oil, Di Gesu constructs compositions around the human figure, often drawing from found photographs, images and anecdotes that become the starting points for imagined scenes. His paintings inhabit a suspended moment between what has happened and what is yet to come. Figures emerge within landscapes, sometimes exposed to death, danger or abandonment, yet the scenes remain strangely still, withholding explanation or judgement.

Rather than treating these subjects as exceptional or unsettling departures from everyday life, Di Gesu approaches them as fundamental aspects of human existence. His attention is drawn to the emotions and images that people tend to conceal, and to the uncomfortable recognition that fragility and mortality are inseparable from the experience of being alive.

A sustained engagement with the paintings of the Prado has informed his understanding of light, shadow and the physical and psychological weight of the human figure. This dialogue with the tradition of figurative painting is evident in his considered use of atmosphere and composition, while his subject matter remains distinctly personal.

Di Gesu’s paintings ask for an attentive gaze. They do not offer easy narratives or conclusions, but create a space in which the viewer must pause, observe and confront what might otherwise remain unseen.


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