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Artwork
Illustration
#drawing
#ink
#stippling
#Xavier Casalta
“Marcus Aurelius” (2021-22), stippled black ink, 140 x 100 centimeters. All photos © Xavier Casalta, shared with permission
It took Xavier Casalta an outstanding 2,300 hours over the course of 15 months to finish his largest work up to now. That includes quite a few blooms surrounding a marble bust of Marcus Aurelius—considered one of historical Rome’s most celebrated emperors and philosophers—the artist (beforehand) estimates that the illustration accommodates about 48 million dots of meticulously stippled black ink.
Recognized for his remarkably detailed depictions of flowers, structure, and antiquities, Casalta applies China ink to paper one speck at a time. Densely clustered areas produce darker options that distinction extra minimally inked highlights. He usually depicts particular person historic objects, like a Penny Black stamp or impressions of individuals and animals on early cash. He additionally fills whole sheets of paper with florals or geometry, like an intricate Roman mosaic or his 4 Seasons sequence, created in collaboration with florist Swallows & Damsons.
Casalta is at present working a brand new, large-scale architectural piece–he’s spent 1,200 hours on it to this point–which he plans to disclose in October. In 2024, that work may even develop into accessible as a limited-edition print. You may keep tuned to the artist’s Instagram for updates, and discover extra data on his web site.
Left: Naxos Tetradrachm with Dionysus. Proper: Penny Black stamp
“Summer time,” a part of ‘4 Seasons’ in collaboration with Swallows & Damsons, stippled black ink, 56 x 56 centimeters
Tetradrachm that includes a lion’s head from Cyzicus, Mysia
“Winter,” a part of ‘4 Seasons’ in collaboration with Swallows & Damsons, stippled black ink, 56 x 56 centimeters
Element of “Winter”
Element of “Marcus Aurelius” in progress
Element of a mosaic in progress
Element of a piece in progress
#drawing
#ink
#stippling
#Xavier Casalta
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