'Pescatorello' (Little Fisherman) by Gaetano Spagnolo (circa 1930s)

'Pescatorello' ('Little Fisherman'), oil on panel, by Gaetano Spagnolo (circa 1930s). A sunlit Mediterranean coastal scene capturing the quiet joys of a boy's summer along the rocky shore. In this depiction, a barefoot boy in a wide straw hat sits perched on the rocks, fishing rod in hand, entirely absorbed in the patient business of the catch. Just behind him, a second boy crouches among the rocks, a companion sharing in the same unhurried afternoon, present but unremarked upon, as boys often are in each other's company. Spagnolo's treatment of light is especially graceful in the young fisherman's loose white shirt, where sun and shadow play across the fabric in confident brush strokes, catching every fold and movement with real brightness. Beyond them, the shoreline continues its quiet business. There are moored fishing boats in blue, green, and red, a small gathering of figures further along the rocks, and distant sailboats scattered across the bay under a soft, hazy sky. There is nothing hurried or posed about the scene as it reads as a stolen, ordinary moment, the kind of long, sun-drenched summer day that belongs to childhood alone. The painting is in good overall condition and is elegantly framed with a linen slip. The artist signed the work in the lower left hand. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying the listing. Upon request a video will be provided.

Dimensions with Frame:

H 48.4 cm / 19.1"

W 38.6 cm / 15.2"

Dimensions without Frame:

H 36.2 cm / 14.3"

W 26.5 cm / 10.4"

About the Artist: Gaetano Spagnolo (1882–1964) was a Neapolitan painter active through much of the 20th century. He exhibited at the first Biennale Nazionale d'Arte della Città di Napoli in 1921 and held a solo exhibition at the prestigious Galleria Pesaro in Milan in 1929, a venue that hosted some of the leading Italian artists of the period. His work spans genre scenes, portraiture, and larger figurative compositions. Following his death, a substantial body of work from his own studio collection was brought to auction, reflecting the scale and range of his output over a long working life in Naples.