I was born in 1943 and began to paint at the age of 16. After spending much time in italian museums in order to study the 17th and 19th century Masters, I turned first to copying ancient paintings, then to nude women, still lives and portraits, choosing to neglect landscapes which, in my opinion, are better suited to easels in the countryside than to artists'studios. My aspiration for this new century is to invite the visitor to penetrate an imaginary world where what one believes real is unreal, and, within this quest for infinity and beauty, I give free rein to my creative imagination, giving it a soul, my soul, and I hold out my hand to you for the time it takes to look upon the laying bare of our mortal hearts.Text of an Art criticBeauty is timeless. Daniel Lauri turns his back on most contemporary modes of expression. He has chosen to respect the Old Masters' precepts and gives preference to the Renaissance and Baroque art. Lauri dominates beautiful materials, his chosen medium, and takes great delight in this. He plays with colours, knows how to make reds, greens, ochres and browns sing and he declines wantonly the subtle nuances of the skin and the folds of fabrics, whether light voiles or heavy brocades.While excelling in still lives and portraits when he creates hyper-realistic works, this artist adores allegories. Beyond the anecdote which often idealises woman, the spectator is captivated by the serene, poetic and sometimes strange atmosphere which permeates his oeuvre.His latest paintings are tinted with surrealism and suggest a pleasing evolution towards fantastic realism.
A.RAJNELLI: Master of Low, Officier of Academic Palmes decoration,Delegate for Cultural Affairs Nice-Toulon