SALVATORE TESTA, "Breakfast with the Key." - Salvatore Testa

Oil painting on linen/cotton canvas, Italian school, depicting "Breakfast with the Key." Dimensions: 90x70 cm, frame 70 mm width, 20 mm thickness. By Salvatore Testa. The work is in excellent condition. The scene depicts a breakfast in which several elements suggest a sense of a riddle—a characteristic frequently pursued by S. Testa, an artist who, for this reason, prefers not to be associated with the respected group of contemporary hyperrealists. Regarding the narrative, the hypotheses are left open, as it is unclear whether the relationship between the woman and the man is familial or of another nature. However, in any case, the woman points to the key. It is also unclear whether the interest in the key is merely a topic in a calm conversation or if it is a key that opens precious doors. Similarly, the connection between the two figures in the foreground and the one in the background remains ambiguous, as does their expression, which suggests some degree of interest. But beyond any possible plot, the vitality that animates the painting lies in the harmony of light and shadow and color combinations. S. Testa is the author of beautiful aphorisms, one of which states: "If a painting presents chromatic magic, it can offer much more. But if there is no chromatic magic, it certainly cannot convey content of high rank, only concepts of low rationality, as seen in billboard graphics and advertising. The same applies to the presumed museum conceptual art of the 20th century."