Bronze sculpture "La Schiava," whose creation is attributed to Giacomo Ginotti in the 1800s

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Giacomo Ginotti (1845-1897) was an important 19th-century Italian sculptor, known for his marble and bronze works, often characterized by pictorial realism and a sensual style.

Born in Brugaro di Cravagliana, Vercelli, on December 5, 1845, Ginotti initially studied at the Barolo School in Varallo before attending the Albertina Academy in Turin from 1865 to 1869. There, he was a student of renowned sculptors such as Giovanni Giuseppe Albertoni, Odoardo Tabacchi, and Vincenzo Vela, who influenced his artistic development.

In 1869, Ginotti moved to Rome, where he opened a studio and refined his technique. He achieved considerable success with his work "La Schiava," first exhibited at the National Exhibition in Naples in 1877. This sensual marble sculpture depicting a slave breaking her chains was highly acclaimed and purchased by King Victor Emmanuel II for a new modern art gallery at the Royal Palace Museum of Capodimonte in Naples. "La Schiava" also earned him a gold medal at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris, where critics praised his mastery in rendering marble with a fleshy texture.

Another notable work by Ginotti is "La Pétroleuse vinta" (The Defeated Pétroleuse), a bust inspired by the women involved in the Paris Commune of 1871. A bronze version of this work, made in 1887, was recently acquired by the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

Ginotti returned to Turin in 1886, where he was appointed professor at the Albertina Academy. He also created monumental works, including a fountain for the courtyard of Palazzo Martini e Rossi and the monument to Carlo Nicola di Robilant in Turin.