City Sidewalk 1959

This is "City Sidewalk" by Domenico Gnoli, it's hard to say exactly when it was made, but it's probably paint and something else on canvas or board. The way Gnoli approaches the surface, it's all about texture, right? It's not just paint, but something else too, maybe some kind of gesso or plaster. Look at how the grid of marks are both regular and uneven, like he's trying to mimic the cracks and wear of an actual sidewalk. The paint is laid on kinda thick in some spots, almost like he's building up the surface, and in other places, it's thin and transparent. This gives the whole thing a sense of depth and age. I find myself drawn to the upper right corner, where the paint seems to be peeling away, revealing the canvas beneath. It's like a little glimpse into the history of the painting itself. It reminds me a little bit of Alberto Burri, maybe, with that sense of rawness and materiality. But Gnoli has his own thing, you know? It's not just about the materials, but about how they come together to create this kinda melancholic, almost ghostly image.