"Parigi" Post-Impressionist Landscape of Paris by Mario Cortellia

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The Italian artist Mario Cortiella (1907-1981), through his pictorial work, aligns himself with the tradition of expressive figurative painting, evoking … Read more The Italian artist Mario Cortiella (1907-1981), through his pictorial work, aligns himself with the tradition of expressive figurative painting, evoking the atmospheres of the School of Paris and the painters of Montmartre or Montparnasse, heirs to Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.

This landscape, dated 1953, depicts a lively Parisian square (Parigi, as referred to by Italians), lined with buildings whose facades are rhythmically punctuated by windows and dark rooftops. The brushwork is swift and expressive, with strokes that occasionally recall the spontaneity of urban sketches. A café with a red awning is visible alongside streetlamps that guide the viewer’s gaze into the depth of the perspective. The gray sky, likely captured in the light of a late winter or autumn afternoon, lends a muted and melancholic atmosphere, accentuated by a restrained palette of beiges, browns, and bluish grays. The urban activity is understated: a few blurred, hurried figures move on foot or by bicycle, while others appear frozen in conversation or more intimate moments. The artist does not seek precise detail but conveys a sense of movement and everyday life. The framing of the scene suggests an almost cinematic vision.

In 1953, Paris was still marked by the aftermath of the war, a city gradually regaining its cultural and economic vitality. Far from the modernizations that would transform the capital in the following decades, Cortiella’s vision preserves the charm of old Paris—the Paris of popular cafés, small shops, and streets animated by ordinary passersby. One can still discern the influence of Parisian scenes immortalized by Utrillo, Gen Paul, and the painters of Montmartre. See less