Fondazione Jorio Vivarelli

The Jorio Vivarelli Foundation at Villa Stonorov preserves the work and archive of the Pistoian sculptor. Its collections include sculpture, drawings, medals, models and studies, while bronzes extend into the surrounding park.

Why it matters

The foundation was established in 2000 to conserve and present Vivarelli's work. It brings together objects from different phases of his career, alongside a library of more than two thousand volumes and archival material. The Villa Stonorov setting connects the artist's work with his association with architect Oskar Stonorov.

What to notice

The collections include terracotta and wax studies, plasters and bozzetti as well as finished sculptures. Vivarelli's recurring focus on the human figure runs through his drawings, medals and sculptural groups. In the park, large bronzes show how ideas developed in smaller studies took monumental form. Works connected with his collaboration with Giovanni Michelucci include studies for crucifixes.

Context and history

Jorio Vivarelli was born in 1922 and died at Villa Stonorov in 2008. He trained in Pistoia and Florence, taught at the city's Istituto d'Arte Petrocchi from 1949 to 1977, and worked with Michelucci. His projects included commissions in the United States and the bronze Inno alla vita in Nagasaki's Peace Park. The foundation continues to preserve his archive and promote study of his work.