Angelo Bragalini (19131994)

Raised in Bologna, Angelo Bragalini studied architecture, fine and applied arts in Rome, Venice and Firenze. His talent and passion for sculpture were quickly recognized and won him important commissions throughout his career. Aside from sculpture and graphics, Bragalini also focused on metalwork and was a proficient goldsmith. Technical skill and artistic flair are both characteristic of his highly expressive pieces. One of his most famous admirers was the film director Federico Fellini, who commissioned the artist to create about thirty sculptures and set pieces for iconic films such as 8 1/2 (1963). Other important commissions include a terracotta sculpture of famous Italian actress Monica Vitti and gold work for the Vatican. He was awarded first prizes for goldsmithery in Firenze, and for decorative glasswork in San Remo. Despite his fame, Bragalini preferred to continue working out of the public eye in Bologna, where he died in 1994.