Stil life on a table

An eclectic character, connoisseur and collector of ancient art, a generous intellectual and an interesting painter, Marini was in fact the fulcrum of the Mantuan group of painters of the Chiarismo movement, whose ideal location was the province around the Colli Morenici. He managed to draw from an almost amateurish experience the freshness and splendor typical of the works of friends and associates who were part of this artistic trend. His quick brushstroke sketches faces of people, landscapes, still-lifes and living natures. The picture presented here is emblematic of his activity, continually broadened by the study of the past and the present. A slanting table serves as a dark background for an essential still-life in which the fruit stands out, schematic though painted with bright colours. Different shades of white and red are combined and compensate each other to give strength to the vision, which shows well-structured figures and a skilful composition.