1901-1980
Marino Marini was born in Pistoia in 1901 and attended the Academia di Belle Arte in Florence. Moving to Milan, Marini taught sculpture, and won the Grand Prize for Sculpture at the Rome Quadriennale1935. He spent 1939 to 1945 in Switzerland returning to Milan in 1946. Marini was in New York in 1950 for a one man exhibition at the Curt Valentin Gallery, where he met Jean Arp, Max Beckmann, Lyonel Feininger and Alexander Calder. He won the Grand Prize for Sculpture at the Venice Biennale in 1952. Marini’s sculpture is in the classical tradition and examines two main themes. The most important is that of Horse and Rider, which allowed Marini to explore the idea of the interdependence between man and nature in the modern world. His other major theme is the female Nude with which he explored variations in line, rhythm and proportion. After the Second World War, Marini’s work changed. He continued to use the equestrian theme but infused the work with more roughness and tension to convey tragedy and
uncertainty. The rider, once noble in the upright position, was often thrown from the horse demonstrating the rupture between man and nature.