Artists

Mario Sironi was an Italian Modernist artist known for his paintings, sculptures, and murals, characterised by somber, monumental forms. Born in Sassari, Sardinia, he studied engineering before turning to art, training under Giacomo Balla at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma. Sironi initially explored Divisionism and Futurism but soon developed a more distinctive style, emphasising solid, static figures influenced by Metaphysical art and the Novecento Italiano movement, which he co-founded in 1922.

A supporter of Mussolini, Sironi produced numerous cartoons for Fascist publications and became known for his large-scale mural projects, promoting the fusion of art and architecture. However, his association with Fascism led to a decline in his reputation after World War II. Despite this, a revival of interest in his work began in the 1980s, and his art is now held in major collections, including the Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan, the Tate Gallery, London, and the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Paris.