Alessandro Magrino

ALESSANDRO MAGRINO (Italy, 20th century).
"Spaniel".
Silver, resin inside and wooden base.
Presents punches.
Measurements: 19,5 x 23 x 12 cm.
The present sculpture, that represents a spaniel dog in serene and naturalistic attitude, is inscribed inside the Italian sculptural tradition of the XX century that recovers the taste for the detail and the direct observation of the nature. Alessandro Magrino develops in this work a formal language characterized by a meticulous modeling, especially visible in the treatment of the fur, where the incisions and undulations generate effects of light and texture that dynamize the metallic surface.
The contained naturalism of the piece, far from excessive idealization, suggests a desire to capture the animal psychologically, giving it presence and dignity. This interest in animalistic representation is recurrent in the production of the artist, who finds in animal figures a field of exploration, both technical and expressive, in dialogue with a long tradition that goes back to nineteenth-century European sculpture.