Marino Marini is one of the Pistoia artists that are better known in the world (with Giovanni Michelucci), a painter, sculptor, engraver and illustrator, his art took over various techniques. And precisely Pistoia gives homage to his artistic genius with the Documentation Centre and the Foundation, born with the aim to valorise and protect his artistic work.

The Documentation centre is the location for the permanent exhibition of Marino Marini’s works. Opened in 1979 in the halls of Pistoia’s Palazzo Comunale, in 1990 it was transferred into the renown and more suitable halls of the Palazzo del Tau, in corso Silvano Fedi. Inside there are various creations a part of which are in permanent exhibit and one available for temporary exhibits. A treasure made up of around 350 pieces among etchings, engravings and sculptures.

From the first etchings made in 1919 until the lithographies of 1980, the year in which he died in Viareggio; also a wide library made of newspaper cuttings (starting from 1927), art books, monographs and catalogues. As well as this bibliographical space there is also a photographic library (around 16 thousand images), a slide archive and a video library delineating the stages of Marini’s artistic career. Finally in the spaces of the Foundation there is a wide collection of plaster casts with lesser works and monumental casts.

Marino Marini was born in Pistoia in 1901, aver attending sculpture and painting courses at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, he became head of sculpture at the Scuola d'Arte in Monza. In 1940 he starts travelling and thus enters into contact with the highest art exponents of that time: in Paris he meets De Chirico’s metaphysical art, in New York Jean Arp’s dadaism and Henry Moore in London.

And these are precisely the years in which Marini exhibits in prestigious museums in Europe and America. In 1952 he also receives the «Gran Premio per la scultura» at the Biennale in Venice and two years later, in 1954 the «Premio Feltrinelli» in Rome.
The Documentation centre is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm, on holidays from 9 am to 12.30 pm. Entry is free.
(Piccolo giocoliere - Bronze 1940 – Photo from the website Municipality of Pistoia)

April.2002

Municipality of Pistoia
Marino Marini Museum (In Italian)