Metamorphosis
In this painting, titled “Ostia Beach,” a solitary woman stands beside weathered boats, her form painted not in realistic detail but in the language of feeling itself. The artist has chosen to render this moment not as a photograph might capture it, but as the heart experiences it—with all the intensity and beauty that morning light brings to a quiet encounter with the sea. The woman’s silhouette speaks of contemplation, of someone who has come to this place for reasons known only to her. There is something deeply reflective about this moment, when the day’s possibilities stretch ahead like the horizon itself, and the boats wait silently as witnesses to her presence.
The gesture can embody transformation—the woman who walks away is somehow different from the one who arrived. The bold, sweeping brushstrokes that define her figure seem to suggest metamorphosis, as if her encounter with this maritime scene has changed her in some fundamental way. This transformation is not merely metaphorical but viscerally present in the paint itself. The way her edges blur and blend with the surrounding atmosphere suggests a figure caught between states of being—no longer who she was when she arrived, not yet fully who she is becoming. The brushstrokes follow the gesture of her movement but also seem to trail behind her like the wake of a boat, as if parts of her former self are dissolving into the coastal air while new aspects crystallize with each step forward.
There’s something alchemical in this portrayal, as if the sea air, the morning light, and the ancient presence of these weathered boats have worked together to effect an inner change. The artist captures not just the moment of departure but the precise instant of personal transformation—that liminal space where we are neither our past nor future selves, but something fluid and in motion, like the tides themselves. Most intriguingly, her walking away might represent the eternal human pattern of seeking and moving on. She becomes every traveler, every seeker, every person who finds meaning in the journey itself rather than in any final destination.
What do you think of this painting?
Artwork: Nicola Simbari
Very cool and calming colors. Reminds me of the now viral “Jazz” paper cup design.
Beautiful photo. The vibrant colors and texture are very eye-catching!
I realize this is an old post, but I really like this one. Is/was it for sale? Trade for other Simbari?