Tuscan Master of Art Nouveau Sculpture

Born in 1850 in Fiesole, near Florence, Guglielmo Pugi was a leading figure of Italian Art Nouveau sculpture at the turn of the 20th century. In his Florentine workshop, named “Guglielmo Pugi e i figli,” he collaborated with his sons Gino (b. 1877) and Fiorenzo (b. 1880), crafting refined works in Volterra alabaster and Carrara marble, particularly the prized veined white variety.

Pugi distinguished himself through his elegant allegorical figures, graceful female busts, and sensuous drapery, all marked by the flowing lines of Art Nouveau aesthetics. Much of his production was intended for export, especially to the United States, and his sculptures were prominently exhibited at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo and the 1904 St. Louis Exposition Universelle.

Among his major public commissions is the monumental Bust of King Umberto I, inaugurated in 1900 in the main square of his hometown, Fiesole. Today, several of his works are held in the Museo dell’Alabastro in Volterra, a key institution for the appreciation of this distinctive medium.

Following Pugi’s death in 1915, his sons continued the family tradition under the name Fratelli G. e F. Pugi, signing their works “Flli Pugi” in homage to their father’s enduring legacy.

Literature :

• PANZETTA, A. Nuovo Dizionario degli Scultori Italiani dell’Ottocento e del primo Novecento, 3^e éd. Italy : Umberto Allemandi & C., 2003. Vol.2. p. 703 & p.761.