Renato Natali - Untitled

The painting can be defined as a genre scene, that is, the depiction of an episode of everyday life that, apparently, lacks any significant element. These types of domestic subjects were long considered minor and only began to spread in Western art starting in the 17th century. Only with the development of 19th-century realism did everyday subjects become considered as important as historical or religious ones. The Impressionists, in particular, favored subjects related to modern life in urban, bourgeois settings. In Renato Natali's case, the genre scene is always dedicated to the everyday life of the city of Livorno, amidst its alleys and the docks of its port.

The style of Renato Natali, a founding member of the Gruppo Labronico, stems from the post-Macchiaioli tradition. However, his stay in Paris marked a significant turning point in his artistic development. His brushstrokes become more concise, delineating subjects characterized by a concise essentiality. Individual features are reduced in favor of the expressive power of the scene. Even the spatial setting is synthetic, lacking depth. In this particular painting, the colors have cold, almost anti-naturalistic tones, unusual for Natali, who usually favors brighter colors. The effect achieved through the use of light is highly evocative. The streetlamp on the street corner, in fact, causes a sudden burst of light that engulfs the group of figures with a highly theatrical effect.

Renato Natali, Livorno 1883–1979, was among the founders of the Gruppo Labronico along with Gino Romiti, Gastone Razzaguta, and Giovanni Zannacchini. His experiences in Venice, but especially in Paris, were crucial to his development. There, he also frequented Modigliani and became acquainted with the European avant-garde. Upon his return, he developed a style based on the post-Macchiaioli tradition but featuring an expressionistic synthetism and a vibrant color palette.

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