Natura Morta 1954

Bruno Cassinari made this still life painting, *Natura Morta*, with oil on canvas, and what strikes me most is how he’s used colour and texture to create a very particular atmosphere. The painting feels built up from blocks, each one with its own distinct character. You can see how the paint has been applied in layers, thick in some places, thin in others, creating a sense of depth and physicality. Look at the lower left of the painting, where touches of blue and pink hint at more figurative forms, like ghostly echoes of shapes that might have been. It’s not so much about depicting the objects themselves, but rather about capturing their essence, the way they feel in a particular space. The whole thing makes me think of Giorgio Morandi, though Cassinari has a slightly different, more animated way of working with colour. Ultimately, it's a painting that invites us to slow down, to observe, and to find beauty in the everyday.