Stag beetle

Greatness is not a matter of size, but of vision.

With this piece, I wanted to give shape to self-esteem: that exact moment of awareness when we stop measuring ourselves by our limits.

In the painting, a tiny stag beetle gazes into a mirror and discovers its true essence: a majestic, winged red deer, a creature bordering on the mythological. 

It is an invitation to look beneath the surface, reminding us that our potential is not defined by the space we occupy in the world, but by how far we are capable of dreaming.

This artwork was awarded second place at the Premio Arte Expositiva, held on March 7, 2026, at the historic Castello Isimbardi in Pavia, Italy.