Bust of a young woman

Libero Andreotti (1875-1933)
20th century, Terracotta

The face and bust of this young woman are stylized, her features lacking any identifiable characteristics other than the haughtiness of her gaze and posture, and the proud set of her shoulders and neck. This polished female likeness, skillfully modelled in terracotta, is attributed to the singular character of Libero Andreotti. Libero, as his name indicates (‘free’ in English), led an adventurous life, often changing cities and jobs, and associated with the most diverse intellectuals, from Pascoli to Puccini to Ugo Ojetti. He was born in Pescia, where he practised the trades of blacksmith and labourer, then moved to Lucca where he worked as a printer. In Palermo, he was a bookseller, and in Florence, he was finally able to express his talent by becoming an illustrator. With the painter Mario Galli, he devoted himself to plastic and pictorial art. The different artistic experiences gained over a long career made him a complex artist, capable of very successfully combining the language of the Italian 15th century with the forms of Viennese Secessionism, with a focus on Art Deco.