RSA Scottish Art
Still Life with Water Melon
 | Artist: Alberto Morrocco |
| Title: Still Life with Water Melon | |
| Year: 1970 | |
| Medium: oil on plyboard | |
| Dimensions: | |
| Suggested topic: | |
| Source: RSA Diploma Collection | |
| View full screen image of this work | |
| Open print version of this work | |
| © Vera Morrocco | |
| Description: Alberto Morrocco is descended came from an Italian family. He was Head of Painting at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee until he retired in 1983. He is remembered mainly for his mural work and portraits in oil and water colours. Morrocco often set up still lives as a stop-gap between portraits - he established a pattern of working where he could have various paintings going on at the same time. This colourful still life painting, Still Life with Watermelon, shows a recurrent theme in Morrocco's art. The water melon and exotic textiles suggest happy holidays and warm climates. Morrocco visited Italy regularly and developed favourite themes in his work such as watermelons which he also enjoyed eating. His love of Italy is also reflected in the use of strong Mediterranean colours which he used frequently and described as being part of a physical sensation - similar to being stuffed after a good meal! He liked beautiful things in nature and said his ambition was to try and make a painting which was like a good armchair to relax in. His style is influenced by Matisse through the use of colour, and by Picasso through the use of interesting viewpoints. These slightly distorted viewpoints are a recognisable trait in his still life paintings, and this is shown by the table-top tilting forward in front of a decorative throw placed immediately behind it. This reduces the sense of recession or perspective in the painting and instead creates a flat pattern by the placing of objects across the foreground of the painting. Morrocco was more interested in the formal relationship between the shape of the objects - here shown on a white tablecloth against a decorative background. Have you ever experienced any of the other senses - taste, smell or sounds, when enjoying a piece of artwork? | |
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