San Giovanni 2018

Roberto Ferri painted San Giovanni with oils, and what's striking is how he blends the traditional with a modern sensibility. The surface has this incredible smoothness, and it's like Ferri's trying to make the paint disappear, a real contrast to some contemporary artists who pile it on thick. Yet, there's a realism here that's almost uncanny, especially in the figure's musculature. Look at how the light glances off the shoulder. See the rendering of the red and white cloth he’s sitting on? It makes me think of Caravaggio, not just in the subject matter, but the way Ferri handles light and shadow. The darkness that surrounds the figure could speak to the inner turmoil or uncertainty of the character he depicts. But with art, it is never just one thing.