Oil painting on panel depicting a still life, created by Domenico Cantatore in the 1960s

Ø cm 71 h cm 57 including frame

Domenico Cantatore (1906-1998) was an important Italian painter, illustrator, and writer. Born in Ruvo di Puglia, southern Italy, he became a significant figure in 20th-century Italian art, known for his distinctive style that blended Mediterranean archetypes with influences from European modernism.

After a period of self-taught artistic exploration in Rome, Cantatore moved to Milan in 1924. There, he quickly integrated into the vibrant artistic and literary scene, befriending influential figures such as Carlo Carrà, Edoardo Persico, and writers like Alfonso Gatto and Salvatore Quasimodo. This period was crucial for his artistic development. His stay in Paris was a fundamental turning point. He came into direct contact with the works of Cézanne, Matisse, Modigliani, and Picasso, which became essential reference points for his evolving style. His drawings and drypoints from this period were particularly significant for his success.

Upon his return to Italy, his work attracted the attention of critics and writers, leading in 1950 to his appointment as professor of painting at the Brera Academy in Milan, a prestigious position he held for many years. Cantatore continued to paint and exhibit extensively, participating in important Italian art events such as the Venice Biennale and the Rome Quadriennale. He died in Paris in 1998 at the age of 92, while revisiting the city that had deeply influenced his youth.

Cantatore's art is characterized by a strong connection to his southern origins, often represented through landscapes, figures, and an underlying sense of archetypal Mediterranean life. He skillfully blended the volumetric solidity learned from Cézanne, a touch of "magical realism" perhaps assimilated from Carrà, and the elegant linearity of Modigliani. His paintings often feature figures, particularly female nudes and "odalisques," depicted with a sensual and classical sensitivity. His landscapes are often described as "blocks of matter" permeated by a "tender light," reflecting a continuation of the Lombard landscape tradition. His works present a warm, earthy palette and often a tactile quality, emphasizing the "materiality" of life. In addition to painting, Cantatore was also a prolific and esteemed graphic artist, producing a significant body of etchings, aquatints, drypoints, lithographs, and serigraphs. These works are highly valued and continue to be admired.