Alfredo Pina Italian, 1883-1966

Having attended the Accademia di Brera in his native Milan, Pina moved to Paris around 1906 and first exhibited at the Salon in 1912. On arrival in Paris, the young Italian immediately felt the impact of Auguste Rodin's powerful style. Pina even worked in Rodin's atelier from 1909-10. In particular, he was certainly influenced by Rodin's turmoiled Gates of Hell (1880 - circa 1900.)

Inspired by Rodin's Gates, he created what Gaston de Pawlowski described as the 'distraught entwinings' of his marble female nudes. Pina created a group of these in embodying 'femininity with its supple grace and its transparencies of flesh which shine through the luminosity of marble' (Pawlowski). 

Intriguingly the present model was also produced as a male figure, an example of that model was sold in these rooms as on 21st May 2003.

RELATED LITERATURE
Pawlowski, p.29