Work on canvas signed - Dimension with frame : 109 x 109 x 6 cm
This vibrant oil on canvas by Italian artist Carlo Roselli (born 1939) depicts a lively equestrian circus performance, one of the recurring and most recognizable subjects within the artist's oeuvre.
At the center of the composition, a group of luminous white horses gallops around the circus ring while acrobats perform among them. In the background, a horse-drawn carriage, performers and a densely packed audience contribute to the theatrical energy of the scene.
Roselli constructs the composition through a rich and expressive palette dominated by fiery reds, oranges, ochres and deep browns. Against these warm tones, the almost ivory-white horses create a dramatic visual contrast and introduce a sweeping circular rhythm that guides the eye around the arena.
Rather than describing the spectacle with strict realism, the artist transforms the circus into a dreamlike world of movement, color and theatrical fantasy. Figures are deliberately stylized, while the spectators dissolve into rhythmic touches of color. The resulting atmosphere lies between reality and imagination, evoking both the excitement and nostalgia traditionally associated with the circus.
Born in Milan in 1939, Carlo Roselli lived in Paris and London before settling in Rome in the 1960s. His experience of the theater played an important role in the development of his distinctive figurative language. Performers, crowds, horses, musicians and theatrical environments became recurring subjects throughout his career.
The circus in particular occupies a significant place in Roselli's oeuvre, allowing him to combine his fascination with performance, human gesture and chromatic expression.
An expressive and highly decorative example of late 20th-century Italian figurative painting, distinguished by its dynamic composition, theatrical subject and warm, luminous palette.
Carlo Roselli, Carlo Roselli Painting, Italian Artist, Italian Painting, Equestrian Circus, Circus Painting, Circus Horses, White Horses Painting...
Category
Late 20th Century Expressionist Animal Paintings