The work “Nuclei” (1956) by Mario Nanni stands as a powerful example of the artist’s mature phase. Its intense chromatic palette and layered materiality create a dense surface in which the painterly gesture becomes a form of narrative.
Born in Castellina in Chianti in 1922 and active in Bologna, Mario Nanni was one of the protagonists of Italian Informal Art. After early experiences influenced by Neo-Realism and Neo-Cubism, he developed during the 1950s a personal language centred on gesture, matter, and visual tension.
In “Nuclei”, the compositional structure is organized around blocks and chromatic clusters that evoke the “nuclei” of energy referenced in the title. Dark and light tones intersect, lines emerge and dissolve, while rough and smooth surfaces alternate throughout the composition. The result is a visual field that invites the viewer to engage with the work on both an emotional and reflective level. The painting expresses a concept of art in which the work is not merely an image, but a dynamic presence within space.
Nanni’s approach places matter at the centre of his visual language: he does not simply paint, but constructs a visual environment that pulses, breathes, and communicates. With “Nuclei”, Mario Nanni confirms his vision of painting as a considered action, rich in depth and implicit meaning.
Description: Mixed media on panel, signed lower right, bearing on the back the artist’s full signature, title, date, and dedication, label of Galleria Unimedia – Genoa, and label from the exhibition Italian Informal Art of the 1950s: Gesture, Sign, Matter – Fondazione Città di Cremona, H cm 100×140.
Exhibitions: Italian Informal Art of the 1950s: Gesture, Sign, Matter, Fondazione Città di Cremona, 12 March – 16 April 2008.
Provenance: Galleria Unimedia – Genova; important private collection – Bologna.
Hammer Price: € 1.625,00
Auction 86 – September, 4th, 2025 – Modern and Contemporary Art
All works by Mario Nanni presented at auction
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