The paintings of contemporary Italian artist Agostino Arrivabene are grounded in the techniques of the Old Masters and inhabit the timeless realm of dreams and mythological, religious archetypes. Against a backdrop of either luminous darkness or apocalyptic landscape, figures that have haunted the collective unconscious for centuries or longer, Orpheus, Lucifer, Elizabeth Bathory, Persephone, enact sacred ritual dramas. Among the memento mori lie the possibility of transformation and metamorphosis; an actualisation of becoming.
Arrivabene cites as influences the Symbolist Gustave Moreau, the master of the Northern Renaissance Albrecht Dürer and the Neo-Baroque/Kitsch artist Odd Nerdrum. Also discernible are traces of Max Ernst’s eroding mineral frottage derived inscapes, Giger‘s spectacular visceral transfigurations and Blake‘s sheer burning visionary intensity. In keeping with the Symbolist tendency towards drawing inspiration from literature elements of Ovid, Dante and Giordano Bruno are included within the occult and occasionally infernal worlds of Arrivabene.
Below is a selection of images showcasing Arrivabene’s unique art. For a more comprehensive view please visit the artist’s website agostinoarrivabene.it. For details on the artist’s fascinating process visit the interview at the excellent Fulgur Press.
cakeordeathsite 
Reblogged this on lampmagician.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much my friend. Glad you enjoyed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
it’s a honour for me, glad to see you again 😊👍✌
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the welcome back!
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are incredible. Beautifully executed and absolutely visionary. I will surely investigate further. Thank you for sharing this. It’s good to see you and your fantastic finds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Please do as Arrivabene as a very impressive body of work. It is good to be back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautifully haunting paintings that seem to have no boundaries or laws but create a sense of curiosity. A truly masterful artist. Such a gorgeous display of art work and a lovely narrative Mr. Cake. I did visit the interview at Fulgar Press ( I was very impressed with their published works) and was quite captivated by this exceptional artist’s world. Thank you so much for the amazing post, welcome back!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Miss Heart. I have been captivated by Arrivabene’s work for a while now, a real sense of vision and ritual. He is very eloquent about his art as well. Fulgur has some beautiful books. Thank you and it is good to be back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the dark and yet luminous style. I didn’t know the artist, thanks for the introduction!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Sue, quite a recent discovery for me but I like the paintings and the aesthetic very much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are stunning. I scrolled through to look at the images first before reading and right away noticed the Giger influence. That’s one of my favorite artists and it’s one of my goals to visit his museum some day. The interview was interesting, knowing he works on several pieces at once so he doesn’t get consumed by the intensity of one. And that dream in Iceland…vividly creepy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
His drawings of the vision in Iceland are excellent, all black and white. Definitely Giger is an influence, I have a couple of Giger related posts here. Glad you enjoyed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Goodie! I will check out your Giger posts when I’m able.
LikeLiked by 1 person
https://cakeordeathsite.wordpress.com/2019/05/08/the-passages-of-h-r-giger/
https://cakeordeathsite.wordpress.com/2018/08/31/the-infernal-vision-of-sibylle-ruppert/
Enjoy, if that is the right word.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Way cool.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely. Glad you enjoyed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating! These are so beautiful and surreal, thank you for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Diana, they are indeed beautiful and surreal.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stunningly beautiful
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Feather. Always nice to see you, though I have been very very absent here as I haven’t written a sentence or line or even a word in over three months. Trust you are keeping well.
LikeLike
I am glad I ‘saw’ you here and did not miss this then. I also miss you – my inspiring friend. I do hope you are well.
LikeLike
Of course I miss you Feather. its just a very strange year and I am having trouble writing. Its one thing to write about the dark side, dystopias and the such like and quite another to be actually living it.
LikeLike
It is. And I can’t blame you. I feel the same way! I hope you are all right. xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am keeping on keeping on. Strange times Feather which raises lots of questions about writing (among many many many other things). Hope you are well!
LikeLiked by 1 person