Artwork Description

Title: Salina
Artist: Giuseppe Modica (Italian, b. 1953)
Date: 2011
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 60 x 40 cm (23.6 x 15.7 in)

Artwork Identification
Salina is a meditative oil painting by contemporary Italian artist Giuseppe Modica. The composition features a meticulously rendered salt pan landscape under a liminal sky, with pyramidal mounds of salt occupying the foreground and the suggestion of distant islands on the horizon. The work resonates with geometric precision and a metaphysical quietude that characterizes Modica’s mature visual language.

Artistic Style and Influences
Modica is often associated with a metaphysical realism that draws from the poetic stillness of Giorgio de Chirico’s world, while incorporating a refined sensitivity to light and atmosphere that recalls classical Italian painting. His unique technique involves a stratified approach to brushwork, creating optical vibration and a sense of layered memory. Salina exemplifies this style, with its architectural perspective, sublimated realism, and subtle spatial abstraction.

Historical Context
Painted in 2011, Salina reflects the contemporary continuation of the Italian figurative tradition, enriched with introspective and philosophical dimensions. Modica’s oeuvre often explores themes of solitude, memory, and contemplation, grounded in Mediterranean light and the timeless rhythm of natural processes—such as the age-old practice of salt harvesting, here transformed into poetic iconography.

Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation
The painting is in very good condition. The surface is clean, with stable pigment layers and no visible damage or restoration. The canvas is taut and well-framed.

Artistic Significance
Giuseppe Modica stands as a leading voice in contemporary Italian painting, revered for his ability to merge tradition with introspection. Salina is a prime example of his contemplative vision, offering both visual clarity and emotional resonance. It is an evocative piece that will appeal to collectors of contemporary metaphysical and landscape art.