"Bath" is an allegorical exploration of transformation, where childhood and coming of age merge into a surreal, almost sacred landscape. Set within a mystical garden, the painting portrays a young boy in quiet contemplation, surrounded by monolithic fungi. This environment, at once serene and enigmatic, suggests a space where paradise is not a place, but a fleeting state of the soul. Part of my Garden of Delights project, this work reinterprets Dante’s Circles of Hell, replacing them with Pools of Paradise—evoking the transition from innocence to awareness. Water, a recurrent symbol of purification and renewal, is central to the composition, yet the presence of fungi hints at decay, subtly suggesting the inevitable loss that accompanies growth and understanding. Technically, this painting is one of my most intricate works. I employed techniques drawn from the Old Masters, layering oil with wax and glazes to achieve a luminous, almost stained-glass effect. Stop-out varnish, traditionally used in etching, introduces delicate graphic details, deepening the visual and narrative complexity. The prolonged drying times of the layers allowed for a richness of texture and depth that cannot be rushed—just as personal transformation is never instantaneous. Through Bath, I invite the viewer to pause and reflect on the fragile boundary between innocence and experience, on the quiet yet profound shifts that shape our journey through life.
