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W A TER Y GREEN
WATERY GREEN

AND HOT
T

AND HO

The painting “WATERY GREEN AND HOT” by Angelo create an optical illusion that makes the woman’s
Orazio Pregoni is a work that strikes with its intensity head appear to be in motion is a tribute to the
and its ability to evoke almost primitive emotions. illusionistic techniques of the past, such as those
The figure of the Ethiopian woman, dressed in an used by Renaissance artists like Andrea Mantegna
ancestral burlap cape, has her eyes closed and and Leonardo da Vinci. Artists of this caliber were
her breast exposed. She gazes at a boundary, an masters at creating depth and movement through
imaginary limit, even though the gaze is not visible, the skillful use of perspective and chiaroscuro.
conveying a sense of royalty and mystical strength. In “WATERY GREEN AND HOT,” Pregoni uses this
The representation of the woman as a warrior, knowledge to engage the viewer, inviting them to
devoid of sexual connotations (even the breast explore the work from different angles. The woman’s
appears quite masculine), highlights her strong head seems to tilt to the right or left depending
pride and determination. on the viewer’s point of view, creating a dynamic
The use of a robust, earthy pigment, with very few dialogue between the artwork and the observer.
aggressive streaks of color, contrasts with the This effect not only demonstrates Pregoni’s technical
delicate, almost watery underpainting (achieved mastery, but also adds a layer of interactivity
by layering different oily fats), as if suggesting that and involvement, making the painting particularly
behind this unfathomable “queen” there is a liquid captivating and human.
world of romantic feelings. In summary, “WATERY GREEN AND HOT” is a work
To create a relationship with another equally that skillfully combines technique, emotion, and
iconic image, we could say that Pregoni’s painting innovation, paying homage to the great masters
reinterprets a sense of “contradictions” from one of of the past while exploring contemporary and
the most powerful photographs of the 20th century, universal themes.
such as “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” from 1932: the
famous image documenting historical events, daily
life, and social changes through the atypical ritual
of workers eating lunch on a steel beam during
the construction of the Rockefeller Center. Pregoni,
with his expressive and bold style, using intense
color and forms to create a dense visual impact,
reflects that same raw and direct realism, capturing
reality in an immediate and powerful way, between
“heavy” elements and lightness: the beam floating
in the void like the woman’s tense body. As in all
of Pregoni’s works, in this case as well, there are
no drying times; the canvas is painted in a single
day, with each brushstroke being applied without
breaks.
The theme of false perspectives is particularly
interesting in this painting. Pregoni’s ability to

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