Capriccio lagunare by Matthias Brandes
Capriccio Lagunare presents a compact and silent landscape, typical of Matthias Brandes’ vision. The houses look carved from stone, solid and still. The trees are dense and rigid, almost untouched by the wind. The sky is uniform, a kind of lid closing the scene. The lagoon is not shown realistically; it becomes a mental space where calm and unease coexist. Brandes turns the landscape into a symbolic and mysterious vision.
The artist: Matthias Brandes
Brandes builds his worlds like painted sculptures. He uses strong volumes, rough surfaces, and a material that appears almost granitic. His works blend order and mystery. They recall Giotto’s solidity, Sironi’s dark perspectives, and Morandi’s quiet stillness. Born in Bochum in 1950, he studied in Hamburg and has exhibited internationally since the 1980s. His works are held in public and private collections. In 2012, one of his paintings was acquired by OFA for the London Olympic Games. He lives and works in Meolo, Veneto.
Description
In Capriccio Lagunare, the lagoon becomes an emotional setting. The buildings rise like ancient presences. Blind windows and deep shadows create distance. Nothing truly moves. The scene feels suspended, as if time has slowed. Brandes is not depicting a real place but a state of mind: a fragile balance between serenity and tension, between reality and imagination.
Conclusion
Capriccio Lagunare speaks through essential forms and deep silences. The landscape becomes a metaphor, an invitation to look beyond appearances. With just a few elements, Brandes shapes an enigmatic world, rich in atmosphere and quiet poetry.