Salvatore Scarpitta

Collezione Sergio Tomasinelli, Torino
Acquistato dall'attuale proprietario nel 2006

Luigi Sansone, Salvatore Scarpitta. Catalogue raisonné, Milano 2005, n. 218, illustrato

The work appears to be in generally good overall condition. There are pin-pointed dirt traces towards the center of the upper margin and by the upper right margin, visible in the catalogue illustration. The tonality of the colour tends more to grey compared to the catalogue illustration. There are shallow traces of rubbing on two of the most projecting shapes on the left side. No traces of retouching appear to be visible under UV 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.
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"Quando la pittura ad olio colava dalle mie dita sentivo che la tela stessa doveva in qualche modo aprirsi, perché io potessi arrivare ad una forma di realtà maggiore con il mio lavoro, perché la mia storia non è estetica, è ricerca di contenuti... il mio è un cammino individuale.
Sai cosa ha fatto Burri? Ha stabilito una dignità che per noi era d'esempio. Non era necessario neanche guardare i suoi quadri, perché il suo aiuto è stato così morale in un momento in cui c'erano tanti pittori allisciati dall'espressionismo astratto, che bisogna ammettere che senza l'esempio morale di quell'uomo lì la vita non sarebbe stata possibile. L'etica che lui ha portato nell'arte italiana è di gran lunga superiore a qualunque altra cosa. [...]"

Salvatore Scarpitta
da G. Di Pietrantonio, in Flash Art, n. 161, aprile-maggio 1991, p. 123

"When the oil paints dripped from my fingers I felt that the canvas itself had, in some way, to open, so I could achieve a form of greater reality with my work, because my story is not about aesthetics, it is about the pursuit of content... mine is an individual path.
Do you know what Burri did? He established a dignity that was an example for us. It wasn't even necessary to look at his paintings, because his help was on a moral level, in a moment in which a great many painters were seduced by abstract expressionism; we have to admit that without the moral example of this man life would not have been possible. The ethic he brought to Italian art is much more important than anything else. [...]"