Sense of Pleasure: A Collection of St A Collection of St

This book devoted to the still life is without doubt different to many others that have preceded it. It has not been subdivided on the basis of schools or eras, but rather thematic groups and many of the pictures included here are previously unpublished. The pleasing of the senses is common to the numerous still-lifes analysed: we have chosen to present the details of the paintings in full page reproductions so as to draw attention to the values of Sight, Touch, Hearing, Taste and Smell.

Although the author has previously highlighted the difficulties inherent in attributing Italian still lifes in a book published in 1992, almost all the paintings presented here have found their correct paternity. 'The characters have found their author.'

In the section dedicated to The Rediscovery of Nature, Spike works on the principle that for the artists of the late sixteenth century such as Caravaggio (the heirs to Leonardo) 'picturing the world meant penetrating its inner workings.'

In the section dedicated to The Flavors of Nature, the author presents paintings depicting 'kitchens, markets and sideboards laden with fresh game and fish:' the painter also paints to whet the appetite.

In the section Nature in Flower, Spike instead notes that "the evanescent beauty of flowers has fascinated humanity throughout the ages," a fascination leading, in a parascientific key, to the production of illustrated herbals that are the direct predecessors of many still lifes.

In the section Nature's Harvest, Spike considers the problems of the seasons and how the painting that represents flowers and fruits refers to a precise moment in the year, almost as if it were a snapshot.

In the sections Nature Ennobled and The Mysteries of Nature the author investigates the hidden meanings behind these apparently straightforward and decorative pictures. The hidden sense is that of life and its transience.

The consultant to this collection, Paolo Sprovieri, has for decades been a dealer in modern art. He 'invented' Balla but also Masson, Turcato but also Burri and Afro. He has revisited forgotten values. His success (I also recall his work on Renaissance majolica) has represented 'resurrection' for many forgotten artists and sectors of art.

-- Maurizio Fagiolo dell'Arco, contributor to The Sense of Pleasure