Gaetano Daniele Di Guardo was born in 1979 in Aci Sant’Antonio, in the province of Catania. After studying art, Gaetano went on to specialise in figurative painting at the Accademia delle Belle Arti, graduating with the highest marks. In addition to painting mainly on canvas in a dreamlike, surreal style, he teaches courses in local schools and introduces young people to the recurring techniques of Renaissance art. In recent years he rediscovered the values of the Sicilian painting tradition and became impassioned about cart decoration, frequenting specialised workshops and learning from the most important masters.

Enamel and oil, 60 x 151 x 68.2 cm The surfaces of this refrigerator reproduce the colours and decorative schemes of the carts typical of the school of Aci Sant’Antonio, in the province of Catania. Dominating the composition are the colour red, which evokes the fiery lava of Etna, and the curvilinear decorations of the Catanese tradition. The episodes are inspired by poster illustrations from the puppet theatre. The historiated scenes on the side panels represent Bradamante as he watches Astolfo fly towards Paradise in search of the knowledge of the furious paladin on one side, while the other depicts the duel between Orlando and Ferraù. On the front is the scene of Ruggiero removing his armour, framed by colourful lace patterns and stylised foliage. The top features a portrait of Rinaldo, embellished by decorations traditionally called cartocci.