oil on canvas, 59×50 cm
signed and dated top left P. Conti '77
Conti never abandoned the human figure, even during his most intense aniconic experimentation. The beautiful Portrait of Maddalena , however, would not be without the foundation of his avant-garde career: the absolute mastery of the surface renders the face a form conjured from nothing, the different design of the eyes restores the image's psychological connotation, the scratches on the blouse seem to translate the silky texture of the fabric into a counterpoint, the most subtle values are captured and highlighted with absolute nonchalance.
