Mario Schifano (Homs, 1934 – Rome, 1998)
Anemic Landscape
Technical Sheet
Author: Mario Schifano
Title: Anemic Landscape
Technique: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 72 x 92 cm
Authentication: The work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity on photograph issued by Monica Schifano / Mario Schifano Archive.
Historical Provenance: Period paper label on the back RIZZOLI FINARTE (exclusive distr. Penta Arte S.p.A., Milan), dated September 26, 1977, with catalog number 0323 and code number 0036/U/1977/FI, signed by the Commercial Directorate.
Signature: Signed by the artist in the lower right corner
Description and Analysis of the Work
The Anemic Landscape presented here represents one of the conceptual and pictorial peaks of Mario Schifano's production between the late 60s and early 70s.
In this work, the concept of "landscape" is completely stripped of its naturalistic and romantic components to be filtered through the lens of memory, technical reproducibility, and urban abstraction. As clearly evident from the composition, the canvas is divided horizontally into two large bands:
- The upper part: Dominated by ethereal, almost milky, fields, in which two large blue oval shapes stand out, evoking the silhouette of stylized clouds or atmospheric formations. The painting is never purely flat; Schifano allows the underlying canvas to vibrate through fluid applications and controlled drips.
- The lower part: Characterized by warm ochre and earth tones with hints of red, suggesting a horizon line or a terrestrial profile condensed into a pure chromatic strip. The application highlights the materiality of the fabric and the artist's typical speed of gesture.
The term "Anemic" perfectly defines this research: the landscape is not captured en plein air, but is a landscape "bloodless," artificial, recreated in the studio like a faded memory, a television screen, or a billboard worn by time. It is nature revisited by man in the industrial civilization and European Pop Art.
Biographical Notes on the Author
Mario Schifano was the undisputed fulcrum of the Piazza del Popolo School in Rome and a leading figure of Italian and international Pop Art. An restless, multifaceted, and genial personality, Schifano anticipated his time, moving with ease between painting, experimental cinema, photography, and music.
After his early works characterized by the famous Monochromes of the early sixties – radical reactions to Informal Art – Schifano introduced symbols of the nascent mass culture and consumerism (Coca-Cola and Esso brands) into his paintings. Around the mid-sixties, the artist's interest shifted to revisiting art history (Futurism) and, precisely, to reinventing the landscape genre (Anemic Landscapes, Oases, Fields of Wheat), transforming nature into a pop, two-dimensional, and iconic visual signal. His work is present in major museums worldwide, including the GNAM in Rome, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and MoMA in New York.
State of Conservation and Commercial Notes
The work is in an excellent state of general conservation. The original wooden stretcher and the back of the canvas show the natural and fascinating patina of time, a testament to its historicity.
Market Value and Collecting: The artwork represents a top-level investment opportunity. The joint presence of the historical Rizzoli Finarte label from 1977 and the fundamental certificate of authenticity from Monica Schifano provides the painting with the maximum documentary rigor required by today's market, guaranteeing its perfect traceability and a future, solid revaluation.
The painting is presented within a refined and elegant white frame ready for insertion into elite private or institutional collections.
For further information, high-resolution photographic details, or to arrange an in-person viewing of the work, please do not hesitate to contact us.
