Novo Hamburgo 1958

Aldo Locatelli made this mural, Novo Hamburgo, at an unknown date with paint on a wall. The muted colors create a dream-like world that contrasts with the sharp lines of the cross at its center. The paint handling is fascinating, isn't it? Those figures are rendered with soft, almost smudged strokes, building volume with light and shadow, a real painterly approach. Look closely, and you can see the texture of the wall peeking through the paint, a constant reminder of the real surface beneath this ethereal vision. The gentle blending and feathering of edges give the angels a weightless quality, as though they're dissolving into the light-filled space. That soft light bathing the scene is everything - it's where the painting truly shines. Locatelli's style is a bit like a bridge between Renaissance classicism and something more modern. There is something of the feel of Fra Angelico in the work, but with a more fleshy, human touch. Ultimately, art is about conversations across time. It's not about fixed meanings but about endless interpretation, don't you think?