Pio Fedi

Pio Fedi, who produced many works for European monarchs, received his training from the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence under the guidance of renowned sculptor Lorenzo Bartolini (1777–1850). In the 1850s, he became the Court Sculptor of Grand Duke Leopold II (1797–1870) and was later named professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence and Academy of Vienna. Raised on the classical Naturalism of Bartolini and formal Purity of Tenerani, Fedi was able to evolve and confront the major elements which coincided with 19th century Italian sculpture. In later years, he took a somewhat romantic approach and gradually turned towards a tempered and mature kind of Realism.