Paolo Serra's (b. 1946; Morciano di Romagna, Italy) revival of archaic painting techniques is founded on his intimate understanding of these materials and profound admiration for "Old Master" paintings from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, including those by artists such as Giotto, Duccio and Fra Angelico. The artist's color fields also reference more contemporary approaches to transcendence and introspection, achieved through the abstract work of modern artists such as Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman.
Born in 1946 in Morciano di Romagna, Italy, Serra grew up in England before returning to his birth country, where he now lives and works in the village of Castelleale, in Rimini Province. Serra has been exhibiting his work for nearly sixty years in cities across Europe, and was included in the English pavilion of the 12th Sao Paolo Biennial in Brazil. His works are represented in the permanent collections of the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; The Arts Council of Great Britain; and the Rembrandt Society, among others.