Enrico Castellani

Galleria dell' Ariete, Milan
Studio La Città, Verona 
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner in 1993

Verona, Studio La Città, Enrico Castellani, 1979

The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the illustration fails to convey fully the translucence of the canvas. This work is in very good condition. Close inspection reveals a very faint and minor stain towards the centre of the left edge. There is a very thin horizontal line of resin residue to the left edge towards the bottom left corner, which is inherent to the artist's working process. No restoration is apparent under ultra-violet light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The intensely beautiful rhythmic surface that comprises Superficie Bianca, from 1973, stands as one of the rarest and most uniquely resolved works by Enrico Castellani. The intended translucence of the canvas, which reveals the silhouette of the supportive structure contrasts with the pure opacity of the diagonal white band and the protruding elements. The present work is from a very rare series, of which an example is in the Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione of Universitá degli Studi di Parma.

A contemporary of Lucio Fontana and Piero Manzoni, Enrico Castellani has been a leading voice of the Azimuth Group in Milan and one the most important and recognized Italian artists. With his renowned breakthrough Superfici, Castellani developed the aesthetic canons introduced by Art Informel and explored the discourse that later headed towards Conceptual and Minimal art. In the present work, Castellani's signature use of shaped canvases and protuberance is combined with a masterful employment of light, which the artist utilizes as part of the media. As observed by Germano Celant: "Light illuminates the reliefs, creates shadows and reflections, flattens and highlights the surfaces, and thus confers existence on the panting. Therefore Castellani could not fail to gradually approach its splendour through the use of the absolute colour white, which radiates, slides across and unifies the surface and at the same time functions as a register of total freedom." (Germano Celant cited in: Exhibition Catalogue, Milan, Fondazione Prada, Enrico Castellani, 2001, p. 17).