“Forever and Ever” is a work that shows a surreal and dreamlike composition with numerous characters, in an environment that mixes architectural and natural elements. At the center is an area with a red-orange floor delimited by arches and columns that opens towards a lush garden with a waterfall.

In the central part of the work, we find a figure with armor and a sword (the painter himself) standing upright near a stone arch. Next to him is a small girl (his daughter) playing the violin. On the right, in the water near the waterfall, are two female figures, one of whom would be the painter’s wife.

In the foreground on the left, a man in a gray jacket is kneeling next to a seated woman wearing a pink dress. In the upper right part of the image, a figure reminiscent of an adventurer (Indiana Jones) is descending from a rock wall using a ladder. Near the water on the right is a woman in a red dress (Caterina Caselli) who seems to be addressing the viewer.

The painting is also populated by several animals such as gazelles or antelopes running in the scene, creating a sense of dynamic movement that contrasts with the static nature of some human figures.

Painting technique:

The work appears to be created with the oil on canvas technique, characterized by bright and vivid colors that create a strong chromatic contrast. The warm tones of orange and red of the floor are contrasted with the intense greens of the vegetation and the blue of the water. The brightness of the colors gives the work a dreamlike and surreal atmosphere.

The brushstroke appears detailed but with a figurative approach that mixes realistic and fantastic elements. The composition is complex and layered, with a juxtaposition of different scenes that coexist in the same pictorial space, creating a narrative collage effect. The artist shows particular attention in the rendering of human figures and architectural elements, while the natural landscape is represented with a more free and impressionistic style.

Symbolic interpretation:

The title “forever and ever, (until complete healing)” suggests a theme of eternity but also of healing or redemption. The presence of the painter himself in the work, represented with armor and a sword, symbolizes a personal battle. The coexistence of seemingly disconnected elements – figures in modern clothes, wild animals, classical architecture, and scenes of domestic life – creates a personal universe where reality and fantasy merge. The animals in movement could represent freedom or escape, while the water and waterfall could symbolize purification or rebirth. The presence of characters reminiscent of public figures like Indiana Jones or Caterina Caselli introduces an element of popular culture that contrasts with the almost mythological setting of the scene, perhaps suggesting a dialogue between “high” and “low” culture, or between past and present.

Conclusion:

This work represents an interesting example of contemporary figurative art that interweaves autobiographical elements, cultural references, and personal symbolism. The co-presence of family members together with iconic figures and animals in a composite architectural and natural environment creates a complex and layered narrative.

The title itself, with its religious reference “forever and ever” followed by the parenthesis “(until complete healing),” suggests a tension between eternity and temporality, between suffering and healing. The work seems to invite the viewer to enter a personal world of the artist, where reality is reinterpreted through a dreamlike and symbolic lens, perhaps as part of a cathartic or therapeutic process of artistic expression.