“On To Positano” 2015 - Chloë Holt RCA FRSA

Inspired by the ancient frescoes of southern Italy and the dramatic landscape of the Amalfi Coast, On To Positano evokes the steep, sun-bleached terraces where citrus trees have been cultivated for centuries against a backdrop of limestone, sea and sky.

The lemon tree becomes both subject and symbol, its dark, twisting branches stretching across a pale, rocky landscape, laden with fruit of luminous yellow and gold. The composition recalls the fragmentary beauty of ancient Mediterranean wall paintings, where the natural world, architecture and mythology inhabit a shared visual language.

Through passages of heavily worked gesso, fluid oil paint and expressive drawing, Chloë creates an imagined landscape in which memories of travel, ancient surfaces and the enduring symbolism of the garden converge. The vigorous, almost sculptural handling of the surface contrasts with the delicacy of the fruit, whilst a palette of chalky whites, mineral blues, soft greys and deep verdigris greens gives the painting its distinctive atmosphere.

Presented in an ornate antique frame, On To Positano brings together Chloë’s fascination with antiquity, the Mediterranean landscape and the expressive possibilities of her materials.

Medium: Oil and gesso on board Frame: Antique frame hand-painted 

Painting aperture: 95 × 123 cm Framed dimensions: 113 × 138 cm