Marino Marini

The artist Marino Marini is one of the most fascinating personalities in the Italian cultural and artistic scene of the 20th century.

Biography of the Marino Marini

Born in Pistoia in 1901, Marino Marini began his artistic journey by enrolling at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence in 1917. There, he studied painting under Galileo Chini and sculpture under Domenico Trentacoste. Initially, Marini focused on painting and drawing during the early years of his career.

In 1927, while residing in Florence, Marini crossed paths with Arturo Martini in Monza. Two years later, Martini invited him to teach at I.S.I.A. (Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche).

Marini's involvement with the "Novecento" group led to his participation in the 1928 exhibition in Milan. The artist continued exhibiting with the "Novecento" group in various locations, including Milan (1929), Nice (1929), Helsinki (1930), and Stockholm (1931).

In 1929, Marini ventured to Paris, where he engaged with fellow artists such as De Pisis, Picasso, Maillol, Lipchitz, Braque, and Laurents. Following Mario Tozzi's advice, Marini submitted his terracotta sculpture, "People," to the modern art exhibition at the Bonaparte Gallery in Paris. 

The artist's inaugural solo exhibition occurred in Milan in 1932, and in 1935, he achieved the first prize for sculpture at the Quadriennale in Rome. During this period, Marini solidified his artistic exploration around two fundamental themes: the knight and the pomona.

In 1940, Marini left his teaching post in Monza to assume the sculpture chair at the Brera Academy, a position he held until 1943 when he sought refuge in Switzerland due to the war.

Throughout these years, he had the opportunity to associate with individuals such as Wotruba, Germaine Richier, Giacometti, Haller, and Banninger. His works were exhibited in Basel, Bern, and Zurich. Following the conclusion of the war, Marino returned to Milan, reopened his studio, and resumed his teaching activities.

In 1948, a solo exhibit dedicated to Marino Marini at the Venice Biennale marked a significant milestone. During this event, he crossed paths with Henry Moore, forming a friendship that influenced his artistic production. Additionally, Marini encountered Curt Valentin, a dealer who introduced him to the European and U.S. markets. During his time in America, he met with figures such as Arp, Feininger, Calder, Dalì, and Tanguy.

Marini expanded his international presence, earning recognition from the New York art scene in 1950. Such as his involvement in the equestrian monument commissioned by The Aia City Council in 1958-59, exhibitions in Zurich (1962), Rome (1966), and a traveling exhibition in Japan (1978).

From the 1970s onward, museum exhibitions dedicated to the artist gained prominence. In 1973, the Marino Marini Museum was established in the Civic Gallery of Modern Art in Milan. 

Marino Marini passed away in Viareggio in 1980.

Marino Marini's Art Style

From the 1930s to the '40s, Marino Marini focused on exploring the development and refinement of a "pure" form by modernizing and reinterpreting the Etruscan and medieval traditions. During these years, Marini consistently develops the theme of the knight, which becomes a recurring element in his artistic endeavors, symbolizing his worldview.  

Starting in 1943, there were observable indications of transformation in the adaptable portrayal of the theme: the forms unfolded, adopting a more intense and tense character; the connection between the knight and horse took on a dramatic and conflicting quality. In the post-war period, Marini heightened the dynamic tension in his works by incorporating deformation and rough textures.

In recent years, the theme of the pomona, symbolizing fertility and flourishing femininity, recedes, making way for figures from the circus and theater. Jugglers and dancers are distinguished by elongated, highly expressive forms, accentuated by traces of color that occasionally make them disturbing. This fundamental stylistic shift mirrors a profound change in Marino Marini's vision.

A shift in expressive language is evident in Marini's paintings and graphic designs as well: the color intensifies, fills out, and transforms into a symbol. Even on the canvas, the shapes disintegrate. They do not narrate, they do not depict but rather evoke.