Marino Marini

Marino Marini was one of the most significant Italian artists of the 20th century, renowned primarily for his expressive and innovative sculpture. Born in Pistoia in 1901, Marini enrolled at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence in 1917, studying painting and sculpture under masters such as Galileo Chini and Domenico Trentacoste. Initially focused on painting and printmaking, from around 1922 he devoted himself mainly to sculpture, developing a style influenced by Etruscan art and the work of Arturo Martini. In 1929, he moved to Milan to teach sculpture at the Scuola d'Arte di Villa Reale in Monza, succeeding Arturo Martini, a position he held until 1940.

During the 1930s and 1940s, Marini frequently traveled to Paris, where he connected with artists like Giorgio de Chirico, Massimo Campigli, and Alberto Magnelli. Later, during World War II, he settled in Switzerland, befriending Alberto Giacometti and Germaine Richier. In 1940, he accepted a professorship in sculpture at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan, influencing a new generation of artists. His best-known works are his equestrian sculptures, which explore the relationship between man and nature, evolving into increasingly dramatic compositions after his wartime experiences.

Marini exhibited internationally and received prestigious awards such as the Rome Quadriennale Prize in 1936. He died in Viareggio in 1980, leaving a significant artistic legacy commemorated by the Marino Marini Museum in Florence dedicated to his oeuvre.