À propos du lot
n° 37
Titre : Marino Marini (1901-1980) Piccolo Cavaliere 12 In (30.5 Cm) (Height) (Conceived In 1944. This Bronze Version Cast Circa 1946–1947 In An Edition Of 5)
Medium : bronze with dark brown patina Provenance : The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by the Fondazione Marino Marini.
Hanover Gallery, London.Private collection, New York (acquired from the above in 1947).Thence by descent to the present owner.
Literature
Exh. cat., Marino Marini, London, 1956, no. 15 (another cast illustrated, titled 'Horseman'). A.M. Hammacher, Marino Marini: sculpture, painting, drawing, New York, 1970, pl. 102 (the present cast illustrated).H. Read, P. Waldberg, & G. di San Lazzaro, Marino Marini, Complete Works, New York, 1970, no. 186 (another cast illustrated p. 349).C. Pirovano, Marino Marini scultore, Milan, 1972, no. 194 (another cast illustrated).M. Meneguzzo (ed.), Marino Marini: Cavalli e Cavalieri, Milan, 1997, p. 31 (the ceramic version illustrated).Fondazione Marino Marini (ed.), Marino Marini, Catalogue Raisonné of the Sculptures, Milan, 1998, no. 242a (the ceramic version illustrated p. 171, no. 242b).
'My equestrian figures are symbols of the anguish that I feel when I survey contemporary events. Little by little, my horses become more restless, their riders less and less able to control them.'- Marino Marini
Marino Marini's first equestrian sculpture, Rider, was exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1936. The life-size plaster statue challenged the norms for equestrian imagery in 1930s Italy, eliciting a mixed response from critics. Horses had once been an essential part of daily life, but with the technological advancements of the time, the equestrian form in art evolved into a symbol of military triumph, and was later adopted as Fascist iconography: a representation of 'the heroic sentiment that permeated daily life, the new and glorious destiny of the nation.' Horses in sculpture were traditionally represented photo-realistically, evoking Classical sensibilities. In stark contrast, Rider was not an exalted public hero, but rather an anonymous figure. Devoid of identity, Marini's equestrians embody a generalized humanity, emphasizing geometry and form over individualism: 'The Rider that Marini presented at the 1936 Biennale was polemically opposed to this revived mode that linked the heroism of the subject to the naturalism of its style. He countered this by asserting the centrality not of the subject but of abstract architectonic form and of the poetry that such abstract form could elicit' (quoted in B. Cinelli et al., Marino Marini: Horses, Horsemen and Female Nudes, exh. cat., London, 2018, p. 10). Marini's fascination with form extended beyond his sculptures of equestrians. Throughout his career, he both painted and sculpted nudes, exploring the geometry of the body in relation to sculptural traditions of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In 1929, Marini began sketching horses at local stables, which would later serve as models for this series of sculptures. Marini made only three equestrian sculptures prior to World War II, with the majority of these works to follow in the coming decades. Piccolo cavaliere, conceived in 1944 during Marini's three-year Swiss exile in Tenero, was made during the artist's prolific period of sculpture production post-World War II. In these works, Marini rendered his equestrians more as abstract, generalized figures than in his 1930s works. Smaller in scale and with broadened materiality – plaster, terracotta, ceramic – the 1940s equestrians marry more loosely detailed features with exaggerated gestures and poses. The balance between horseman and horse is disjointed, the two in incongruous motion and direction. The horseman in Piccolo cavaliere leans back, as if in repose. The right hand is pressed against the horse's head while the left stays back against the horseman's body. The stocky horse stands firm and straight, a foil to the horseman's relaxed posture. There is a dichotomy of tension between th...Condition report : A small accretion (measuring ½ cm) to the left of the figure's left eye. Two pinpoint patina losses to the figure's left arm. A loss (measuring 1 cm) to the back of the horse's front leg. Areas of investment appear to the crevices of the figure's left leg where it is attached to the horse, and to the back legs of the horse. Subject to the foregoing, it is in our opinion that the work appears to be in excellent condition.Bonhams, Salle de vente
, New York, US
🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire.
Titre de la vente : Impressionist & Modern Art
Date de la vente : 15/11/2023
🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire.
Référence de l'enchère
: Live Sale
