Campieri 1949

Renato Guttuso made this painting, Campieri, on paper with what looks like watercolor or ink, and a lot of confidence. The colors are limited, mostly black and white with these jolts of red and green. I love how he lets the ink run, embracing the accidents. Look at the horse on the right – it’s like Guttuso is drawing with a brush, not just filling in shapes, but letting the brushstrokes define the form. The riders almost blend into their horses, becoming part of the same energetic movement. The lines are so alive, so immediate! There's a rawness to it, a feeling of capturing a fleeting moment. It reminds me a bit of some of the German Expressionists, like Kirchner, who were also trying to capture the energy of modern life with bold colors and dynamic compositions. It’s this ongoing conversation, you know, artists responding to each other across time. And that, to me, is what makes art so endlessly fascinating.