Enzo Plazzotta
BORN:
29 May 1921 – 12 October 1981 was an Italian-born British sculptor. Plazzotta was born in Mestre, near Venice, and spent his working life in London. He died in London, aged 60.
EARLY LIFE:
He worked as a sculptor in London for over half his life but always maintained his links with Italy, holding a studio at Pietrasanta in Tuscany from 1967.
EDUCATION:
He studied sculpture at the Accademia di Brera in Milan under the tuition of Giacomo Manzù until World War II when he became a Partisan leader near Lago Maggiore.
After the war Plazzotta took up sculpture again and was commissioned by the Italian Committee of Liberation to commemorate their successful collaboration with the British Special Forces and decided to make London his home.
MEDIUMS USED IN WORK:
He is best remembered for a fascination with and study of movement in bronze – the human form, horses, ballerinas, and for his female studies, many of which adorn London’s streets
SUBJECTS OF WORK:
He gradually established himself as a portrait sculptor and also, like Degus, developed an interest in the portrayal of ballet dancers. Nureyev, Fonteyn, Sibley and Dowell were among the many dancers who came to his studio.
This fascination with the human form manifests itself in a number of interpretations of the naked female form.
EXHIBITIONS:
His works can be found in many public and private collections including the Vatican. It has also been widely exhibited by many galleries including Wildenstein and Co and most recently in 2007 at The Robert Bowman Gallery in London.
Enzo Plazzotta’s bronze figures are beautifully made and have some exquisite details that bring the work to life, his compositions are always intriguing and yet inviting. His desire to capture movement within a static object seems alive within ‘Nureyev’, the figure dances liberally across the space with a great sense of freedom. Plazzotta’s ability to represent the human form with such accuracy and attention to detail with the muscles of ‘Nureyev’ showing the tension of balance and the line of stretching; all aspects of details within this piece show Plazzotta’s need to represent what he sees accurately to show respect for his subject.
His use of patina within his work gives a greater richness to his subject; in ‘conversation’ the two nude girls are given a rich brown patina which alters their delivery to the audience. They come across more sophisticated and when partnered with a harp; being such an elegant instrument gives them a respectful air of beauty which allows us to accept their nudity not as something sexual but as an artistic respect for the female form. Plazzotta expresses nudity with great admiration; he seems to preserve a sense of modesty with his subject and play with composition to do so.
Enzo Plazzotta sculpture for sale from The Sculpture Park is detailed below
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BronzeJamaican Girl by Enzo Plazzotta
£36,000 inc VATJamaican Girl by Enzo Plazzotta, Bronze, Marble
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BronzeLady with a Smile by Enzo Plazzotta
£36,000 inc VATLady with a Smile by Enzo Plazzotta, Bronze
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20th CenturyCamargue Horses by Enzo Plazzotta
£64,800 inc VATEnzo Plazzotta, Italian 1921 – 1981, Camargue Horses, Bronze, Signed and Numbered 5 from an Ediotion of 6 width Foundry Stamp, 111cms high by 115 cms wide,