Iron sculpture depicting a horseman, created by Agenore Fabbri in the '70s

Ø cm 31 Ø cm 22 h cm 59

Agenore Fabbri (1911 – 1998) was a highly important Italian sculptor and painter, known for his powerful and often raw artistic expression. His work moved between rigorous expressionism and experimental informalism, reflecting the tumultuous events of the 20th century.

Born in Quarrata, Tuscany, Fabbri began his artistic path early, attending the Art School of Pistoia at the age of 12 and later the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. Initially, he focused on sculpture, mainly using wax and plaster. In the '30s, he moved to Albisola Marina, a crucial center for avant-garde artists working with ceramics. There he befriended influential figures such as Arturo Martini and Lucio Fontana, with whom he maintained a strong friendship until Fontana's death. During this period, he perfected his skills in ceramics and terracotta, developing innovative techniques such as riflessatura.

His early career was interrupted by World War II and military service. The war experiences deeply influenced his art, leading to a change in his stylistic approach after 1945. His postwar works often conveyed themes of suffering, anxiety, and a raw sense of the human condition.

A significant meeting took place in 1947, when he met Pablo Picasso in Vallauris, France. Picasso himself named one of Fabbri's terracotta works from this period "Woman of the People." From the late '50s onward, Fabbri gained international recognition with solo exhibitions in the United States (New York, Philadelphia) and Europe (London, Paris, Stockholm, Rome, Milan). He participated in numerous prestigious group exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (with personal rooms in 1952 and 1960) and the Rome Quadriennale.

Known in the early decades for ceramics and terracotta, in the '50s and '60s he increasingly worked with bronze and wood, creating sculptures characterized by convulsive modeling and deep cuts. He also experimented with iron, tin, zinc, and steel. From 1981, at seventy years old, Fabbri began exploring painting, initially with traditional oils and acrylics. In the final phase, he incorporated "recovered" materials such as sand, stones, rags, fabrics, and cans into his canvases, reflecting his informal tendencies.

Fabbri received numerous awards during his career, including the International Sculpture Prize in Cannes (1955) and Carrara (1959), and the Grand Prize for Ceramics at the Milan Triennale. He also created important monumental works, such as the "Boar Hunt" at Palazzo Sormani in Milan and the "Monument to the Resistance" in Savona. In 1998, shortly before his passing, he was elected President of the National Academy of San Luca.