Igor Mitoraj (1944–2014)
Centurion
Patinated bronze (antique patina)
Signed on the neck: Mitoraj
Numbered: 596/1500
Height: 18 cm
This sculpture, depicting a stylized head with monumental, classical features, is a characteristic example of the work of Igor Mitoraj—one of the most important Polish sculptors of the second half of the 20th century. The artist frequently drew on the aesthetics of ancient art, creating fragmentary torsos and heads inspired by Greek and Roman sculpture.
Igor Mitoraj ( 1944–2014)—a Polish sculptor and painter—was one of the most recognizable contemporary artists associated with the movement of classicizing figurative sculpture. He was born in Oederan, Germany, and spent his childhood in Poland. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków in Tadeusz Kantor’s studio.
In 1968, he moved to Paris, where he began his international artistic career. In the 1970s, he settled in Italy—in Pietrasanta, Tuscany, one of the most important centers for stone sculpture and bronze casting.
His work was inspired by ancient art and Greek and Roman mythology. The artist created monumental heads, torsos, and masks in classical forms, often deliberately “mutilated” or fragmentary, which became his trademark.
Mitoraj’s sculptures can be found in public spaces in many cities around the world, including Paris, Rome, London, Pompeii, and Kraków.
