Firenze Capriccio belongs to the Urban Arenas series, where architecture and cultural symbols are reimagined through a contemporary artistic vision.

This painting draws on the tradition of the capriccio—a genre of architectural fantasy that emerged in Italy during the 17th and 18th centuries, celebrated by painters such as Canaletto, Marco Ricci, and Giovanni Paolo Panini. A capriccio is never a faithful cityscape but rather an imaginative reconstruction, where monuments are freely combined to create poetic visions of place and memory.

Here, Florence is reinterpreted through its most iconic landmarks. The monumental David by Michelangelo stands in dialogue with the city’s skyline, dominated by Filippo Brunelleschi’s dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, while the timeless arches of Ponte Vecchio stretch across the Arno River. These symbols of Renaissance genius are drawn in bold charcoal over a soft green geometric background, inspired by Florentine decorative motifs.

The work is realized on cotton canvas mounted on a wooden frame (100 × 70 cm). It begins with a gesso base, followed by an acrylic background, charcoal drawing, and two layers of matte transparent varnish for protection against time and light.

Through this “Firenze Capriccio”, I pay tribute to the grandeur of Renaissance Florence while reimagining it within a contemporary dialogue of memory, imagination, and urban space.

Charcoal, Acrylics and Gesso on Canvas
2025
100 W x 70 H x 1.7 D cm