Gamba
Anthony Christian with Gamba , Tuscany 1977Gamba was an old retired cobbler who lived in a Tuscan village not far from the old mill (Molino) where Anthony lived in 1977. Of all the male faces he had seen until then, Gamba fascinated and inspired Anthony the most, and he made numerous drawings and paintings of him. Many years before, Anthony had invented a technique of tinting paper, but now he wished to experiment with pastel and with scale, drawing full length and life size for the first time. He had a red cape which was precious to him for the quality of its drapery and because red is his favourite colour. Dressing Gamba in the cape, Anthony made three drawings of him, two full face and a profile, but although each of these drawings was very successful, none of them gave the artist the satisfaction he craved. They did not express the strong emotions he felt before the extraordinary beauty and depth reflected in this man's face, which seemed to represent or suggest something beyond the man himself. This kind of 'otherworldly beauty' is a phenomenon Anthony has come across several times now, but with Gamba he was encountering it for the first time.
Almost desperate to see if he could transfer onto paper these emotions that Gamba inspired , Anthony searched around for more paper, but none could be found (he had used up all his stock).....until his eye was caught by the large piece he had used for over twenty years, to tint thousands of sheets of paper on. It fascinated him for its indefinable colour and odd markings, born of so many years of use. All this inspired the artist further as he set to work. Anthony was so fulfilled by this work, it made him realize that there was nothing left in drawing for him but to experiment, and he was too taken up with his passion for painting to spend any time on anything else. For several years after creating this work, he didn't draw at all. He had succeeded in creating an image that moves beyond the man himself; some have the impression of a Tibetan priest, others see an ancient nobleman from another time, but all who see the drawing feel its spirituality and powerful mysticism.
This old and tattered piece of paper has caused a sensation wherever it has been shown, no less in Asia than in New York, where Anthony was invited by the director of the Academy of Drawing to exhibit it and to give a talk and demonstration of his drawing. At that time, however, he was recuperating from hepatitis and the most he was able to do was to loan the drawing to the Academy for a few days. It is now one of the prized works in The Ichor (ee:kor ) Collection.
