Marino Marini (1901 Pistoia, Italy – 1980 Viareggio, Italy) was one of Italy’s foremost sculptors and painters of the 20th century, internationally celebrated for his expressive depictions of the human figure and the equestrian motif. Born in Pistoia, Tuscany, Marini studied at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts under Luigi Cavalieri and later attended the Brera Academy in Milan. He began his career in the late 1920s, initially influenced by classical sculpture, Italian Renaissance forms, and the Novecento Italiano movement.
Marini’s signature works are dynamic bronze sculptures of riders and horses, created with an intense focus on balance, movement, and the relationship between man and animal. These figures range from serene and elegant to tense and abstracted, reflecting both classical tradition and modernist experimentation. Alongside his sculptural practice, Marini maintained a parallel career as a painter, producing portraits, landscapes, and figurative compositions imbued with expressive color and dramatic forms.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Marini’s sculptures gained international recognition through exhibitions in Europe and the United States. In 1946 he was appointed Professor of Sculpture at the Brera Academy in Milan, where he influenced generations of Italian sculptors. Over the following decades, Marini participated in major exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale and shows across Europe, North America, and Japan, cementing his reputation as a central figure of modern Italian art.
Marini’s work is included in many of the world’s most prestigious collections, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Modern in London, the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna in Rome, and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. His exploration of form, movement, and human expression continues to inspire contemporary sculptors and artists worldwide.
For information on available works by the artist, please contact the gallery.