Ritmi astrali 1916

Gerardo Dottori created 'Ritmi astrali' using a mosaic of warm-colored tesserae. I imagine Dottori as a kind of alchemist, patiently layering paint, coaxing these cosmic rhythms into being. It's like he's mapping out some unknown galaxy right before our eyes. What was he thinking when he made this? Maybe he was lost in thought, like a kid lost in a daydream. The surface has a dry granular quality with these tiny strokes of warm browns, oranges, and reds, contrasted with the cool blues. I see these circles bumping up against each other, like bumper cars at a carnival. The physicality of the paint creates a tactile experience. You can almost feel the weight of the material, the way it catches the light. It’s as though Dottori is in dialogue with the futurists, and he's trying to capture movement, the energy of the cosmos, in a static form. Isn’t that what painting’s all about anyway?