Lot 136: ATTILIO SELVA

ATTILIO SELVA ITALIAN 1888 - 1970 ENIGMA monogrammed: AS and inscribed: FOND. CASSANDRI. ROMA bronze, dark brown patina 66cm., 26in.

According to Panzetta, Enigma, conceived in 1915, is 'one of the most significant works from [Selva's] Symbolist period.' The figure evokes a powerful feeling of contemplation and mystery. There is a strong sense of design in the formalised pose and strong contours of the body. In this Selva was influenced by contemporary middle European sculptures, in particular the work of Ivan Městrović (see lot 125).

Selva began his studies at the Scuola Industriale di Trieste before moving to Turin in 1905 where he joined the workshop of Leonardo Bistolfi. A few years later he was awarded a scholarship by his home town of Trieste to study in Rome. In 1932 he was elected to the Accademia d'Italia and he was also twice elected president of the Accademia di San Luca in Rome.

A marble version of Enigma is in the collection of the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome.

RELATED LITERATURE
F. Sapori, Scultura italiana moderna, Rome, 1949, pp. 304-5 & 472; A. Panzetta, Nuovo dizionario degli scultori italiani, Turin, 2003, vol. 2, p. 848