Sandra Batoni

Sandra Batoni, 1953-2017.

Artist Sandra Batoni was born in Florence, Italy in 1953.  Intrigued by art, she began painting at the age of fourteen.  In 1973 she began to attend the studio of painter Emanuele Cavalli, one of the founders of the “Scuola Romana” (Roman School).  Later she became his assistant at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. 

Her artistic nature has always moved through the figurative sphere.  Batoni has especially been attracted by the Italian school of the 20th century.  Her artwork is often compared to the Masters of this period.  Another similarity is that she obtained a degree in architecture from the University of Florence in 1982. 

The most common subject for Batoni to depict is interiors with figures.  In these very minimalist paintings the characters are often set in a dramatically lit room with various pieces of furniture.  In these private spaces the viewer finds the mysterious figure of a child or a young woman deeply absorbed in thought.  When gazing at the canvas trying to decipher what these figures are thinking about, one may feel like an intruder into their serene world, curiously trying not to disturb their silence. 

Throughout all of Sandra Batoni’s paintings the influence of her Master, Cavalli, is very evident, especially with the palette of colors she chooses.  These compositions are rich in the warmest of hues, particularly in the flowers and fruit.  With a Roman artistic tradition, Batoni mainly focuses her vision on the study of the relationship between light and dark.  To her, it is an everlasting tension to catch, own and dominate the duality of these effects.  She creates an atmosphere of suspended time where memory can live in the present.  Light is not used to brighten up the scene, but rather, is the basic foundation of the work of art.

Within her still lifes Batoni carefully renders everyday objects: embroidered tablecloths, porcelain pieces, jugs, bottles and glasses, along with various fruit, each appearing in realistic detail.  The background space is minimized in order to focus in on the essential subject chosen. 

Batoni collaborated with several prominent Italian galleries.  Her art is displayed publicly in the drawing collection at Belle Arti and the Public Painting Gallery in Florence, along with a museum in Greece.  Sandra Batoni was a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence where she focused her teachings on the human figure.