New Enthusiasm
Artist: Gianfranco Campestrini
Title: New Enthusiasm
Period: 1920s–1930s
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 160 × 100 cm (artwork); 180 × 130 cm (with period frame)
Inscriptions: Signed and titled on the reverse by the artist
Condition: Excellent. Canvas, stretcher, and paint layer intact
Frame: Original period frame in molded and gilded wood, with an arched upper profile
CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND HISTORICAL-ARTISTIC SIGNIFICANCE
Subject and iconography:
This work is a masterpiece with a powerful visual and narrative impact. A group of young people, perched on the rooftops of early 20th-century Milan, lean forward enthusiastically, waving handkerchiefs toward the sky to greet the passage of a squadron of biplanes. The theme fits perfectly into the cultural climate of the era, celebrating the myth of flight, modernity, and the fascination with great aeronautical achievements.
Composition and Style:
The painting’s power lies in its complex and dynamic “bottom-up” (*sotto in su*) perspective, which accentuates the verticality of the movement. The paint application is rich and vibrant with light, while the background offers a evocative urban view of historic Milan, bathed in a characteristic golden atmosphere veiled in mist.
A rarity in the artist’s oeuvre:
Far removed from the painter’s more common small-format works (primarily landscapes and sketches), this composition stands out as a work of great significance, intended for official exhibitions or competitions, as evidenced by its monumental dimensions (160 × 100 cm) and the high complexity of its figurative execution.
Period: 1920s–1930s
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 160 × 100 cm (artwork); 180 × 130 cm (with period frame)
Inscriptions: Signed and titled on the reverse by the artist
Condition: Excellent. Canvas, stretcher, and paint layer intact
Frame: Original period frame in molded and gilded wood, with an arched upper profile
CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND HISTORICAL-ARTISTIC SIGNIFICANCE
Subject and iconography:
This work is a masterpiece with a powerful visual and narrative impact. A group of young people, perched on the rooftops of early 20th-century Milan, lean forward enthusiastically, waving handkerchiefs toward the sky to greet the passage of a squadron of biplanes. The theme fits perfectly into the cultural climate of the era, celebrating the myth of flight, modernity, and the fascination with great aeronautical achievements.
Composition and Style:
The painting’s power lies in its complex and dynamic “bottom-up” (*sotto in su*) perspective, which accentuates the verticality of the movement. The paint application is rich and vibrant with light, while the background offers a evocative urban view of historic Milan, bathed in a characteristic golden atmosphere veiled in mist.
A rarity in the artist’s oeuvre:
Far removed from the painter’s more common small-format works (primarily landscapes and sketches), this composition stands out as a work of great significance, intended for official exhibitions or competitions, as evidenced by its monumental dimensions (160 × 100 cm) and the high complexity of its figurative execution.
20 000 €
Period: 20th century
Style: Other Style
Condition: En l'etat
Material: Oil painting
Reference (ID): 1834734
Availability: In stock
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