Allo Specchio 2017

Roberto Ferri created this arresting oil on canvas painting titled 'Allo Specchio.' Ferri, an Italian artist born in 1978, works in a figurative style deeply rooted in the traditions of Baroque and Romanticism. The painting, whose title translates to 'To the Mirror,' depicts a woman gazing pensively away, holding what appears to be a spiked shell. The composition and chiaroscuro lighting evoke a sense of drama and introspection, characteristic of Caravaggio. Ferri's work resonates with contemporary relevance through its exploration of psychological and emotional states. The woman’s gaze directs us away from her physical self and towards her internal contemplations. The contrast between her delicate features and the sharp, potentially harmful object she holds generates a sense of vulnerability and self-awareness. Does the mirror reflect our ideal selves, or our deepest insecurities? Ferri invites us to reflect on the complex relationship between identity, self-perception, and the narratives we construct about ourselves.