Fanciulla addormentata nello studio 1959

Editor: We’re looking at “Fanciulla addormentata nello studio” – “Sleeping Girl in the Studio” – painted by Felice Casorati in 1959. It’s an oil painting, and I immediately notice this very still, intimate mood. I’m struck by the shapes and how the girl’s form sort of melts into the books and studio backdrop. What captures your attention in this work? Curator: Oh, it sings of quiet rebellion to me, doesn't it? All these stark geometric planes framing the vulnerability of sleep! The colours feel… intentionally discordant. Look how that vivid red clashes delightfully with the cool blues lurking in the background. And those sketch-like figures looming behind, are they ghosts of inspirations past? Is it about the push and pull between the rigidity of artistic study and the soul’s need for rest? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the "rebellion" aspect, but I see what you mean! Do you think that dissonance in colour adds to that feeling? Curator: Absolutely! It’s Casorati subtly whispering, "Art shouldn’t be sterile; it needs to embrace imperfection, humanity, the occasional glorious nap." Imagine her, overwhelmed by art history perhaps, seeking refuge in slumber. Aren’t we all her in some ways, craving a pause amidst life's endless demands? What will your biggest pause in your artist's life be? Editor: That’s a lovely thought. The painting feels much more relatable now. I think the rigid lines initially threw me off. Curator: Exactly! That tension between form and feeling is the work’s pulse, its hidden joke. I feel the push-and-pull even between his earlier work and something different. I want that yellow though; I need that energy. Editor: I definitely see that now. I'm going to remember those “ghosts of inspirations past,” a really powerful and moving comment. Thanks. Curator: My pleasure. Art should spark joy in one moment, but insight forever, I suppose.