Serious portrait

A fairly massive man appears to us from the waist up, wearing a jacket, a green sweater, a white shirt, and a red tie. His attitude is thoughtful, as if in melancholy reflection. Around his body, writing appears, above and below, and sketched with great license in black or dark brown brushstrokes. The letters S E R can be seen above the tangle of his hair. Always above, but on the right, the letters I O can be glimpsed with greater difficulty. This is very probably the word “serio,” or “serious,” which, rather than defining the mysterious identity of the character, serves to emphasize his mood. At the bottom right we find a big pointed A; on the left, a C or a G also pointed, even though it is difficult to understand what it actually is, because the lettering is confused with the elements of the jacket. Evidently, the artist is Italian. Evaluating the style, he is an Italian artist of the first half of the twentieth century who works with magnificent grace, suggesting with few touches the physiognomy of the enigmatic youth and hinting at his character. This type of approach appears close to Fauve painters, both for its expressive strength and for the apt use of the ever-changing colors. Unfortunately it is difficult to say if the two initials at the bottom correspond to the artist, or if they are useful in identifying the soul that hides behind the slightly inclined face. We just have to admire his almost oriental eyes, lost in the void and yet beautiful.