Umbria vergine 1949

Gerardo Dottori made 'Umbria vergine' with paint on canvas, layering it in such a way that it almost feels topographic. I imagine Dottori, perched somewhere high, looking out, trying to capture this vast landscape. Think of those rows of green hills, one after another, fading into the misty blue distance. See how he uses color to create depth, almost like a stage set. The river, snaking through, is like a line connecting all the different parts of the painting. The little trees in the foreground make me think of Seurat and his pointillist dots, but here, they’re all about capturing the lushness of the Italian countryside. The air is heavy with humidity, the heat haze rising, and the sky is a pale shimmering mirage. It's a bit surreal, a bit dreamlike, and very, very cool.