Born in Turin, this Piemontese artist is one of a kind. Davide De Agostini has a strong following in Italy. He is charming, undeniably a very intelligent artist and a true Italian.

I wasn't sure what to make of the paintings I saw. My first impression screamed dark and sombre and appear to suck away the energy from my soul. Davide De Agostini explained to me why many of his paintings feature women: "We men would not be here if we had not been born of woman and these paintings represent my memories of the women in my life". These hauntingly beautiful images, although striking, appear to be from a world known only to the artist. His works emanate from his own experiences. I don't believe he wishes to shock for the sake of it, as some of his paintings are profound and graphically disturbing but Davide is unrepentant. The child holding the bloodied animal represents the memory of the very first time each one of us sinned and he believes this point to be a significant moment in our lives. Yet he continues to say that if you take more than a few moments to consider the meaning of his work, it is a few moments too long. "You either understand it or don't, like it or not. The paintings do not require analysis".

Irony and humour play a prominent role too. He has a cute eye with a satirical point of view. The paintings below feature his very own father and mother. Davide followed in his father's footsteps, and he started painting at a very early age. His mother was a professional ballerina. One cannot say that the interpretations of his parents are flattering but no-one has taken offence.

On revisiting the paintings on display, my second impression of Davide De Agostini's collection at the Galerie Carré Doré in Monaco concluded that I rather liked one painting in particular, simply because it pleased my eye.

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