Ugo Cipriani

UGO CIPRIANI (Florence, 1887 – Paris, 1960).
“The Archer,” 1930s.
Terracotta with a bronze patina.
Signed.
Stamped “Terre Cuite d’Art.”
Measurements: 37 x 86 x 20 cm.
This piece is crafted from solid terracotta with a patina that mimics aged or verdigris-covered bronze, a technique commonly used in his studio during the 1930s to give the works a classic and elegant metallic appearance. The sculpture stands out for its dynamic depiction of a male athlete’s taut torso at the very moment just before or after releasing his arrow, perfectly capturing the sense of strength, idealized anatomy, and geometric movement characteristic of the Art Deco style of the era.
The son of sculptor Adolfo Cipriani, Ugo trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. One of his best-known works is a bronze monument (1919) to the Italian nationalist Guglielmo Oberdan, now located in the square of the same name in Florence. In 1935, Ugo Cipriani emigrated to France to escape Mussolini’s fascist regime.