Agenore Fabbri (19111998)

Born in Quarrata, Agenore Fabbri attended the Scuola d’Arte in Pistoia before embarking on his artistic career. In 1932, he attended the Accademia di Belle Arte in Florence for a year before moving to Albissola, where he worked in La Fiamma ceramic workshop and created his first terracotta sculptures, mainly biblical figures. In Albisola he met many of the most important second generation Futurist artists. He also became a close friend of Lucio Fontana at this time. From 1946 he lived in Milan, returning to Albisola in the summer to create what are now some of his most famous sculptures in the Mazzotti ceramic factory. It was in the ‘30s and ’40s that he developed innovative ceramic techniques such as ‘riflessatura’. In the ‘50s and ‘60s he focused on bronze, wood and metals and only later turned to painting. Style-wise he oscillated between rigorous expressionism and experimental informalism throughout his career. He was awarded numerous awards such as the International Sculpture Award in Cannes in 1955 and in Carrara in 1959, the First Prize at the Mostra d'Arte Sacra, Trieste in 1966 and was awarded two gold medals and the Grand Prix for ceramics at the Triennale di Milano. In 1998 he was elected President of the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca.