AFRO BASALDELLA (Udine, 1912 - Zurich, 1976) - Untitled (1969)

Descriptio Mosaic on fiberglass panel. Dimensions: 61.5 × 147 cm. This abstract and expressionist work features a horizontal composition of great chromatic and textural richness, articulated through organic forms, calligraphic signs, and irregular geometric structures that intertwine against a background of white and beige tones. The composition is dominated by a large central surface of orange-ochre with sinuous contours, traversed by thick black lines that create a complex network of lines and forms with a biomorphic appearance. On the left side, several green surfaces with rounded profiles stand out, accompanied by an intense red patch in the lower corner, while at the top, a curved structure in a dark tone introduces movement and visual continuity. On the far right, a cluster of black forms with a branching and gestural appearance extends across the light background, establishing a marked contrast with the central chromatic surfaces. The use of small mosaic tiles lends the work a remarkable richness of textures and variations in light, transforming the painterly gestures into a surface of monumental and vibrant character. The composition reflects the artistic language of Afro Basaldella, known as Afro, a key figure in postwar Italian abstraction, whose work is characterized by the integration of organic forms, gestural structures, and a particular sensitivity to the relationships between color, space, and matter. The work demonstrates the artist’s ability to translate his pictorial vocabulary into the language of mosaic, preserving the spontaneity of the brushstroke and the compositional freedom characteristic of his painting. Its formal conception shows affinities with certain investigations by Arshile Gorky (1904-1948), especially in the use of biomorphic forms, sinuous lines, and abstract structures evoking nature, as well as with the artistic universe of Joan Miró (1893-1983), due to the use of calligraphic signs, organic forms, and symbolic elements that seem to float above the compositional space. Parallels can also be drawn with certain creations by Willem de Kooning (1904-1997), due to the gestural energy, the fragmentation of forms, and the tension between chromatic surfaces and expressive strokes. These references constitute stylistic affinities and do not imply an attribution of authorship. The work is signed in the lower right corner. Bibliography: Maurizio Calvesi (ed.), Afro a Ravenna: opere su carta, grafiche, arazzi, mosaici, RL Stamperia d’Arte, Ravenna, 1991, plate 23, page 172, reproduced work. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity on a color photograph, with the signature and seal of G. Carlo Bertaccini on the reverse, as well as a copy of the catalogue in which it appears published.Batch in international warehouse (within the EU). Intra-EU shipment: no import duties apply within the EU. Export permit from the country of origin may be required.

Estimate:£6,716

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