Cardinale 1985

Giacomo Manzu made this sculpture, titled "Cardinale," from white marble. Just imagine Manzu, in his studio, the dust flying, shaping this severe, pointy, almost cartoonish figure. The figure is simple: an almost conical shape for the robe and a long, cylindrical hat. The face is barely there, just a hint of features. It reminds me a bit of those early Renaissance paintings where the figures are all stiff and formal, but Manzu gives it a modern twist. It's like he's saying something about power and authority, but also about the absurdity of it all. I wonder if Manzu was thinking about the church when he made this? Maybe he was poking fun at the pomp and circumstance. Anyway, it's cool how artists can have this ongoing dialogue across time, riffing on each other's ideas and styles, always pushing the boundaries of what art can be.