Marino Marini

Acquired by the family of the present owner in the 1950s

Santa Barbara, The Art Galleries, University of California, Nineteen Sculptors of the Forties, 1973

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, attached to the overmount on the reverse of the top two corners. There is a horizontal flattened crease running above the right part of the lower edge, and a very small diagonal flattened crease in the lower left corner. Apart from a 0.5cm. tear at the extreme bottom edge, and a 0.5cm. crease in the upper right corner (both not visible when mounted), this work is in good condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration, although slightly deeper and stronger in the original.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

'The myth of the rider, of the man who derives his force and impetus from the beast that he dominates and drives, but by which he is also unsaddled, grew from year to year, brought worldwide celebrity to the sculptor, and resulted in repeated masterpieces. In some works the connection between the horse and the rider becomes almost symbiotic, as though the artist would melt the two bodies into one to represent Nessus, the mythical centaur'

 

Giovanni Carandente