Marino Marini biography

Marino Marini, born in Pistoia in 1901, was a versatile Italian artist, known for his sculptural, pictorial, engraving, and lithographic work. From the early years of his career, he demonstrated exceptional talent in art, enrolling in 1917 at the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence. During his academic period, he had the opportunity to attend painting courses held by Galileo Chini and sculpture courses led by Domenico Trentacoste.
In his early years of activity, Marini primarily dedicated himself to painting, drawing, and graphics, exploring various artistic techniques. In 1926, he opened a studio in Florence and the following year moved to Milan, at the invitation of Arturo Martini, to teach at the I.S.I.A. in the Villa Reale of Monza. During this period, Marini had the opportunity to come into contact with important artists of the time, including De Pisis, Picasso, Maillol, Lipchitz, Braque, and Laurents, who influenced his artistic vision.
In the 1930s, Marino Marini began to gain significant recognition for his work. In 1932, he held his first solo exhibition in Milan, and in 1935, he won the first prize for sculpture at the Quadriennale di Roma. During this period, his works mainly focused on two central themes: the knight and the pomona.
In 1938, he married Mercedes Pedrazzini, whom he affectionately called Marina, and who remained by his side throughout his life, supporting him in his artistic career. In 1940, he left teaching in Monza to become a professor of sculpture at the Accademia di Brera in Milan, a position he held until 1943, when due to the outbreak of the war, he took refuge in Switzerland. During his stay in Switzerland, he had the opportunity to come into contact with internationally renowned artists such as Wotruba, Germaine Richier, Giacometti, Haller, and Banninger. He exhibited in various Swiss cities, including Basel, Bern, and Zurich.
After the end of the war, in 1945, Marino Marini returned to Milan, reopening his studio and resuming teaching at Brera. Starting from 1948, he gained increasing international notoriety. The Venice Biennale dedicated a personal room to him, and during his stay in the United States, he had the opportunity to meet artists such as Moore, Arp, Feininger, Calder, Dalì, and Tanguy.
His works are exhibited in major cities such as New York, Zurich, Rome, and they also reached Japan in an important traveling exhibition in 1978. Starting from the 1970s, museum institutions dedicated to the artist began to be founded. In 1973, the Museo Marino Marini was inaugurated in the Civica Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Milano, followed in 1976 by the permanent room dedicated to Marini in the Neue Pinakothek in Munich. In 1979, in Pistoia, the documentation center of Marino Marini's artwork was inaugurated, which later found its home in the restored Convent of Tau.
Marino Marini dies in Viareggio in 1980, leaving behind an artistic legacy of great significance. In 1988, in Florence, the Museo Marino Marini is inaugurated, thanks to a donation of the artist's works to the Tuscan city, which held a special meaning for him. The life and artwork of Marino Marini have been celebrated worldwide, with exhibitions and official recognitions that testify to the importance and influence of this exceptional Italian artist in the 20th-century art scene. His horses and riders, his pomonas, and his monumental sculptures continue to fascinate and inspire art lovers around the world, keeping his valuable contribution to modern art alive.