The exhibition includes 22 bronze sculptures from an exhibition of original plaster figures, which was held on the occasion of Arturo Martini's birth centenary, in 1989. Among the exhibits on display are a triptych called "Leggenda di San Giorgio", a bronze sculpture called "Testa di ragazza", dating from the period of "Valori Plastici" (the monthly review founded by Mario Broglio), as well as Martini's masterpieces of the 1940s, such as "Pegaso caduto" and "La vacca". Seven splendid figures of classical and biblical themes, which were sculpted during the summer of 1935 in Blevio, are largely regarded as masterpieces of the Italian 19th-century sculpture: The Lady Rider, the Rape of the Sabines, Solomon's Judgement, the Hundred-metre Sprinter, Laocoön, Ulysses and the Maternity. On display at the gallery of Palazzo Sertoli are also three feminine figures sculpted by Martini between 1928 and 1931, which made his reputation as a great sculptor: La Pisana, La donna al sole, La dormiente. The exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of the works of the hugely successful sculptor from Treviso Arturo Martini.

A virtual catalogue of the exhibition published by Fondazione Credito Valtellinese is available on website www.creval.it.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES FOR ARTURO MARTINI
Arturo Martini was born in Treviso, in 1889, in a family of humble origins. He had a discontinuous education. Very young, he worked as an apprentice at a factory of ceramics. He then studied with Antonio Carlini in Treviso and Urbano Nono in Venice. His early works date to 1906. Later, Martini successfully exhibited his work at the cultural event "Prima mostra d'arte trevigiana", which was held in Treviso, in 1907. In 1909, he spent a period working in Monaco, where he also attended the school of Adolf Von Hildebrand. In 1911, he had his works exhibited at Ca' Pesaro in Venice. In 1912, he visited Paris together with his friend Gino Rossi. Sculptures by Martini and paintings by Rossi were exhibited at Paris Salon d'Automne along with the paintings by Modigliani and De Chirico. In 1913, he visited Rome where he met writer Giovanni Comisso.

Martini's early artistic production mainly consists of portraits, statuettes, ceramics and drafting sheets. He continued working also during World War I. He then got married to Brigida Pessano, a girl from Vado Ligure, who posed for some of his works, among which the one called "Il sonno" also known as "La dormiente" (1931), which can be admired at the gallery of Palazzo Sertoli. In 1921, he joined the "Valori Plastici" group of artists. In the same year, thanks to Carlo Carrà, he had his works exhibited in Milan. In 1923, he was commissioned to realise a war memorial in Vado Ligure, where he lived with his wife and young daughter.

He had to travel a lot for work and economic difficulties forced him into continuous displacements, as he wrote in a collection of letters published posthumously in 1967. He had a sure knowledge of his talent and capabilities. In fact, he wrote "I'm a genius and I know it! There's no one like me at this time". He was already an established artist as he took part in the quadrennial exhibition held in Rome in 1931. He was awarded the first prize for sculpture and bought a house in Vado Ligure. He experimented with different styles and various materials including stone, marble, bronze, baked clay, wood, drawing and engraving. The period of activity between 1938 and 1940 was devoted to painting.

In 1941 he was commissioned to realise five marble bas relieves for the Arengario (communal palace) in Milan. One year later, he became professor of sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. This experience led him to publish a brief collection of reflections under the title "Sculpture, a dead language" (1945). It is a sort of speaking his mind about art. A warning can be found towards the end: 'Né più si confonda con la vita apparente di una statua la vera vita della scultura' (You should not mistake the apparent life of a statue for the real life of sculpture). After the war, he was suspended from office for a short period, during which he wrote these words to lawyer Raffaele Levi: 'A me ripugna difendermi, se credi che ne valga la pena lascio a te il malvagio compito […] Se si tratta della mia attività di 25 anni di scultore e di fascismo - ho fatto una vittorietta alta 30 centimetri e che mi fu anche rifiutata - rispondo che questo è il mio mestiere cioè tanto di servire il diavolo come il padreterno e lo farò sempre'. (The idea of having to defend myself from an accusation is contrary to my principles. So, if you believe it would be worth trying, I'll let you accomplish that ungrateful task on my behalf […] If the question is my 25 year career during Italy's Fascist regime - I sculpted a statuette depicting Victory 30 cm high, and what's more it was refused - it is my job and I will continue to do it, no matter who the purchaser is, the Devil or God Almighty). Early in 1947, he announced that he wished it was time for him to produce innovative, huge pieces of work […] 'I'm waiting for springtime as if it were the first in my life'.
He died just a couple of months later, on March 22, in Milan.