On a rocky outcrop, known as the ‘Punta Carega’, high above the crashing waves in the bay of Portofino, clung a lone pine tree. Steadfast amidst the blustering winds, it stood for centuries. In 2018, during a ‘super-storm’, it succumbed to the power of the sea. This work, one of seven that comprises Julian Schanbel’s Pini series, pays homage to this beloved pine, and to the beauty and resilience of nature.

These large-scale works are rendered in deep emerald and earthy greens, with energetic strokes, capturing the fleeting Italian light. Painted on to maps, these works convey a connection with Italian geography, and a profound appreciation for the natural world. Each map was shows a different part of Italy, appearing like a personal archive of place, grounded in the cartography of the scenery and its trees. The pieces speak of memory and transience, deftly rendered with a painterly immediacy.

This work incorporates a map of Montferrat, in the region of Piedmont. Schnabel's title references pre-unification Italy, calling to mind individual regions and their histories, and how these maps show the development of the modern country, and chart its landscape. 

Schnabel utilised a new technique with these pieces, working with a brush fastened to the end of a long stick. Reminiscent of Matisse’s methods, this allowed Schnabel to achieve a characteristic looseness and energy of brushwork, capturing the breeze moving amongst the tree canopies. In this we see Schnabel considering his own place within art history, drawing upon the practices of masters, whilst creating something truly original.