Alberto Casarotti - Cowboy

Portraiture is one of the most widespread artistic expressions, especially in painting, but also in sculpture, throughout all eras. Above all, a portrait is a description of the represented subject, an attempt to faithfully and naturally capture their features and individual characteristics. As artistic exploration gradually evolved, the physiognomic description of the subject was accompanied by a psychological one. Thus, over the centuries, portraiture has also become a means of introspective inquiry into the subject, their character, and their state of mind. The processes of abstraction introduced by contemporary art have supported this type of inquiry.

In this portrait of a boy wearing a cowboy costume, Alberto Casarotti seems to tone down the vigorous expressionism derived from his association with the “Corrente” group in favor of a more intimate and familiar representation. The portrait is, in fact, characterized by a subdued, minimalist realism. It lacks the unnaturalistic exaggerations of his other works, as well as expressionistic distortions. However, the subject’s physical substance remains hollowed out, entirely resolved on a flat surface, indicating that Casarotti’s aim is always to delve deeper to rediscover the true essence of things. The boy’s figure is defined by a vibrant black line that indicates its form, which is then filled with an almost “à plat” application of color in a subtle harmony of browns. This application is far removed from the gestural force that characterizes other works, confirming the minimalist nature of this portrait. For Casarotti, minimalism means not only familial intimacy but also synthesis and, ultimately, yet another form of expressionistic representation, this time conducted in a more subdued tone.

Alberto Casarotti was born in Verona in 1906 and passed away in Montalto di Rivoli in 1991. He received his artistic training in Milan, where in the 1930s he frequented Arturo Martini, Carrà, Manzù, De Chirico, and other artists who exhibited at the Il Milione gallery during those years. 1942 was a pivotal year when, after attending the Brera Academy for a period, the painter joined the “Corrente” group and became friends with Renato Birolli. With his first official exhibition in 1945 at the Santa Redegonda gallery, Casarotti immediately achieved success with both the public and critics. Among his various participations in events and exhibitions, we also recall his two appearances at the Venice Biennale (1950 and 1985) and the major retrospective held in 1990 at the Palazzo della Gran Guardia in Verona.

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