Amedeo Merello (genoa, 1890 – Fumeri, 1979), First Snows On The San Candido Dolomites

Amedeo Merello (Genoa, 1890 – Fumeri, 1979)

First Snows on the Dolomites of San Candido

Oil on canvas, 59 x 69 cm – with frame, 87 x 96 cm

Signed and dated lower left A. Merello San Candido 8/1927

The oil on canvas painting First Snows on the San Candido Dolomites is a signed and dated work by Amedeo Merello, testifying to the painter’s artistic maturity, as he was able to interpret the majesty of nature through a highly sensitive post-Impressionist style. In the painting, the eye is immediately drawn to the imposing mountain range dominating the background: here Merello uses textured, dense, and substantial brushstrokes to convey the texture of the rocks and the freshness of the first snow settling among the rugged crevices of the Dolomite peaks. San Candido, located in Alta Pusteria, in the heart of the Sesto Dolomites and in the shadow of the Baranci massif, offers the artist a setting of rare intensity, where the alpine light is calibrated with extreme precision. At the foot of the peaks, a dense coniferous forest acts as a bridge between the rugged, mineral landscape and rural life, characterized by a cluster of houses with sloping roofs and light-colored walls, rendered in soft, textured tones that convey a sense of tranquility and isolation. Amedeo Merello was born in Genoa, in the Castelletto district, into a family of noble origins. His creative journey began far from academic institutions, initially drawing on the guidance of his father, the Marquis Marino Merello, and his great-uncle Luigi, an expert in the art of engraving. Although his early works were marked by religious subjects and traditional figure drawings, the artist soon turned to painting from life, developing a preference for landscapes that led him to skillfully study the chromatic variations of his surroundings. His talent is evident in his ability to adapt his palette to the geographical context: bright colors for the Riviera coastline and softer tones for the landscapes of the Valpolcevera. His official debut dates back to 1912 at the Promotrice Torinese with two sketches of the port of Genoa, the same year he crossed national borders to participate in the Official Fine Arts Exhibition in Santiago, Chile. His career was marked by frequent participation in major exhibitions in Genoa, Turin, and Savona, consolidating his reputation through solo shows at historic galleries such as Vitelli, Rotta, Ranzini, and the Guidi Gallery in Genoa, as well as the Galleria Permanente in Bergamo and Il Cenacolo. In 1968, he took part in the “Art and the Third World” exhibition in Genoa, while in 1985 the Artetre Gallery dedicated a major posthumous retrospective to him. Beginning in 1938, Merello chose his vacation home in Fumeri, in the municipality of Mignanego, as his preferred retreat, where he lived in harmony with nature, painting landscapes and still lifes. Recognized for his achievements with academic honors in Rome and Geneva, Merello is now represented in the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Genoa and in prestigious private collections, confirming his status as a central figure in the Ligurian and national art scene of the 20th century.