Giorgio Rossi (1894–1981) Woman with Flowers on Head, 1946

Giorgio Rossi (1894–1981)
Woman with Flowers on Head, 1946
Terracotta, signed and dated
Height: 53 cm; width: 18 cm

A Tuscan sculptor active between Florence and Volterra, Giorgio Rossi belonged to the generation of the Novecento (Italian 20th-century art), seeking harmony between classical tradition and modern expression. Created in 1946, this hand-modeled terracotta, documented in the catalogues of the artist’s collections, represents one of the most refined examples of his mature style.

The female head adorned with flowers stands as both an intimate and symbolic image — a synthesis of ideal femininity and the earthy simplicity of the material. The forms are full and balanced, and the expression carries a serene, introspective tone. The surface retains the tactile traces of Rossi’s hand, revealing his sensitivity to matter and the sculptural traditions of Tuscany.

Terracotta, Rossi’s preferred medium, connects his work to a lineage stretching from Etruscan and Renaissance sculpture to the Novecento, reinterpreted here with measured poise and poetic restraint.

Provenance: the work has remained in the artist’s family since his death.
Condition: excellent.

Brief biography of the artist
Giorgio Rossi, sculptor and painter, was active in Tuscany between Florence and Volterra. He developed a personal language combining the realism of the Novecento with archaic and Renaissance references, while remaining open to modern influences. He took part in major exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (1930, 1936), and taught for over thirty years at the Artistic and Industrial School of Volterra, specializing in terracotta and alabaster.

Exhibitions (selection – documented participations)
– Società di Belle Arti, Florence (1906, 1912–13, 1916–18)
– Mostra d’Arte Sacra, Venice (1920)
– Premio Principe Umberto, La Permanente, Milan (1925)
– Venice Biennale (1930, 1936)
– Giorgio Rossi. Scultore nel secolo breve, Palazzo Panciatichi, Florence (2007)
– Le voci di dentro. La scultura di Giorgio Rossi, Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze (2010)
– Nel segno della Sieve, Pontassieve (2011)
– Volti dal passato, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence (2013)