Robots, or “Strange Self-Sufficient Machine” by Giuliano Ghelli ( Firenze, 1944- 2014, Chianti).

Robots, or “Strange Self-Sufficient Machine” by Giuliano Ghelli ( Firenze, 1944- 2014, Chianti). Painting in a wooden frame with glass.

Oil on canvas.

Signed by the author in the lower left corner. Excellent state of conservation.

Painting that depicts two robots with slight human features, in ironically human actions.

Likely created between the mid-1970s and 1980s, during which Giuliano Ghelli produced several works depicting surreal yet comical scenes of two robots resembling a humanoid couple.

Giuliano Ghelli was an Italian painter and sculptor, born in Florence in 1944 and passed away in 2014. Self-taught, his artistic exploration embraced various styles and movements, from informal to pop art and surrealism. Ghelli is known for his figurative works, often characterized by symbolic elements such as hills, numbers, signs, envelopes, houses, and cypress trees. Among his favorite subjects were also robots and surreal characters, inspired by science and science fiction. Ghelli exhibited his works in Italy and abroad, in both public and private galleries, and received numerous recognitions and awards. Some of his most important exhibitions include those dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci at the Sforza Castle in Milan in 1992, at the Pecci Museum in Prato in 2001, and at the M’ARS Museum in Moscow in 2005. Ghelli also created commissioned works for companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Fiat, as well as for events like the Palio di Siena and the Sydney Olympics. Ghelli lived in the Florentine Chianti region, where a museum in San Casciano was named after him, featuring a vast exhibition section dedicated to his sculptures, installations, and many paintings.