Enrico Castellani

This work appears to be in generally good overall conditions. There is a minor superficial scratching by the centre of the work. There is a minor trace of soiling along the lower margin toward right. No traces of retouching appear to be visible under UV light. The reflectance inhomogeneity is due to the layer irregularities. Colours are clearer compared to the catalogue illustration.
"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."

A partire dal 1959 Enrico Castellani, architetto di formazione e artista di prim’ordine della Milano del tempo,  inizia a piegare (letteralmente) la tela alla volontà di sperimentazione di un linguaggio che ha nel punto la sua essenza. Apparentemente elemento limitato e noiosamente ripetitivo, ha invece in sé la forza dell’assoluto; scrive Proclo “Il punto è un limite eppure possiede l’illimitato in modo latente”.
Proprio l’infinita possibilità di variazioni offertagli dalla distribuzione libera del punto, permette a Castellani, quasi trenta anni dopo la sua prima Superficie Bianca, di dar vita ad un’opera affatto scontata, traboccante di dinamismo e quasi satura di un processo artistico ormai assolutamente maturo e consapevole. Se le estroflessioni sono in questo lavoro morbide e razionalmente distribuite, l’intensità della tela satura di deformazioni è sensibilmente avvertibile.
Unica è la capacità dell’artista di dare vita ad un’opera barocca per forza espressiva e dinamismo fisico e concettuale, senza far uso di orpelli e varietà cromatica. Unica è la spiritualità di un’opera dal profilo tecnico-artigianale che rifiuta l’essere “oggetto” (semmai oggettuale) e si innalza alla pura contemplazione. Unica è la possibilità di chi la possiede di incorniciare una porzione di infinito.

Since 1959 Enrico Castellani, architect by education and artist of first order of the Milan of the time, starts to -literally- bend the canvas to experiment with a language that has its essence in the dot. Apparently limited element and  boringly repetitive, has instead in it the power of the absolute; Proclus writes “the dot is a limit yet it possesses the Unlimited latently”
It is the infinite possibility of variations given by the free distribution of the dots that allows Castellani, nearly thirty years after his first Superficie Bianca, to give life to a work of art which is far from being given for granted, full of dynamism and almost saturated with an artistic process now absolutely mature and aware. If the knobs are in this works soft and rationally distributed, the intensity of the deformed canvas is significantly noticeable.
Unique is the artist’s ability to give birth to a baroque masterpiece for expressive power, and physical and conceptual dynamism, without the use of tinsels and colour variety. Unique is the spirituality of a work that, characterized by a technical-craftsmanship profile, refuses to be an object and rises to pure contemplation. Unique is the possibility of its owner to frame a portion of infinity.