Golden Tree

In this work on canvas, the artist paid homage to the historic and extraordinary artistic artifact, the Golden Tree. A magnificent Gothic reliquary depicting the salient stages of Jesus’ life, it is also known as the Tree of Life or the Tree of Love. It is a unique work of gilded copper, silver, enamel, and coral, created by Sienese goldsmiths and housed in the Lucignano Municipal Museum (MAD). This unique medieval example has also been the subject of attention in the past by art historian Vittorio Sgarbi, who praised its exceptional and rare beauty. In 2015, at the Milan Expo, it also found a temporary and well-deserved place in the Museum of Italian Treasures.
Here, the artist interpreted a singular and personal vision of the tree, depicting
an allegorical fusion of the sacred and the profane, drawing on the classical and contemporary pop worlds, with a more popular aspect, rich in meaning and food for thought.
The work depicts a tree with golden, wispy foliage that sinks its tentacled roots into a black and white checkerboard, symbolizing good and evil, while the sturdy, golden trunk rests on an ancient zodiac sign. The work represents the connection between the sacred and spiritual love of Christ and the more material and physical love of man, depicted by a sensual Venus Italica and a statuesque Michelangelo-esque David, respectively representing the feminine and the masculine as the source of life, love, and prosperity. In the foreground on the right, a small pug symbolizes fidelity and holds an ancient lovers’ card in its paw. On the left of the painting, we find a deceptive, seductive serpent, symbolizing the perfidious snares of life with clear references to Adam and Eve’s serpent. In the center of the tree, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, supported by Saints Peter and John, emerges from a luminous vortex, radiating light and love. The upper section culminates with the crucifixion of Jesus and two pelicans, as depicted in the original tree. The revisited work is characterized by vibrant colors and a contemporary pop language that rewrites the original iconography, offering a more modern and folkloristic vision.