Fratelli Mannelli - Enzo Mari (1932-2020) - Sculpture, "Cavallo" Brutalista in Travertino - ORIGINALE, Vintage - 100 mm - Marble - 1970
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Current bid
€ 22
No reserve price
Expert
Selected by Annick van Itallie
Graduated in art history with over 25 years' experience in antiques and applied arts appraisal.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
 | €22 | |
|---|---|---|
 | €17 | |
| €1 |
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A 1970 Brutalist Travertine horse sculpture by Fratelli Mannelli, born from a collaboration with Enzo Mari, unsigned and in good condition, with dimensions 110 × 100 × 30 mm.
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Description from the seller
Bring into your home the primal strength and timeless elegance of great Italian design. This zoomorphic sculpture in the shape of a Horse, born in the 1970s from the golden collaboration between the iconic designer Enzo Mari and master artisans Fratelli Mannelli, is much more than a decorative object: it is a fragment of Modernism history.
The circular silhouette, interrupted only by sharp, geometric cuts, perfectly embodies the minimalist philosophy of the period. A designer paperweight or a showpiece for your bookshelf that catches the eye and celebrates the pure materiality of Tuscan stone.
Enzo Mari (1932–2020) was one of the most revolutionary theoreticians and designers of 20th-century Italy. His approach rejected superfluous decoration to focus on the geometric and essential decomposition of forms. The series of zoomorphic animal figures in stone (of which the piranha is one of the most iconic and sought-after subjects) applies his famous search for the “ideal form”: remove material until only the minimum indispensable graphic sign remains to make the animal perfectly recognizable.
Active in Tuscany (based in Signa) from the 1960s, the Fratelli Mannelli were absolute pioneers in reinterpretating local stone applied to office and interior objects. Their extraordinary artisanal skill transformed a material historically tied to monumental architecture into small domestic masterpieces (pen holders, paperweights, sculptures) distributed and appreciated internationally.
The Brutalist movement is known for the exaltation of raw materials, the absence of artificially polished finishes, and the massive, primitive geometric shapes. In this sculpture, the style masterfully fuses with minimalism: the fish is not depicted in anatomical detail, but evoked through the stone’s thickness, the clean circular silhouette, and deep cuts that simulate an open mouth and gills, yielding a powerful, sculptural, and magnetic visual presence.
The sculpture is entirely extracted and worked from the famous Rapolano Travertine (Siena). Unlike classic polished marbles, travertine stands out for its naturally porous, matte surface rich in small voids. The Fratelli Mannelli deliberately chose to leave the stone natural and unplastered: this means that each single sculpture features beige veins, warm hues, and unique holes of its kind, making this piece a one-of-a-kind object in the world.
Seller's Story
Welcome to our Catawiki store. Our journey in online sales began back in 2004, driven by a clear vision: creating online auctions dedicated to high-value objects.
Today, more than twenty years later, we carry forward that exact same vision. We are proud to have remained a small, family-run business, yet operating with the solidity and scale of major industry professionals: each year, we welcome more than 100 new clients, purchase over 150 lots, and select between 3,000 and 5,000 unique items to offer you.
Our commitment is reflected in everything we do, from the initial find to the final delivery to your doorstep:
• A Purchase with Social Value: Buying from us means securing a great deal while actively supporting the future of young Italian students. We collaborate closely with 3 graphic design and advertising schools in Milan, Bergamo, and Lecco.
We invest our time and expertise to teach these students the secrets of online sales, professional photography, and marketing. By choosing us, you are tangibly contributing to their education and career paths.
• Field Research and Discovery: For years, we have been personally scouting the most remote locations across Lombardy to find unique pieces, rarities, oddities, and mid-century modern design.
• We Invest Our Own Capital: We do not sell on consignment. We invest our own capital upfront to purchase and restore every single item, taking on all the risks ourselves.
• Direct Dealings with No Intermediaries: We manage every single price personally.
This allows us to eliminate third-party costs and ensure you get the best possible profit margin as a buyer or collector.
• Meticulous Restoration and Quality Control: We get our hands dirty. Every item is carefully restored and verified with an obsessive eye for detail before going up for auction.
• Secure and Eco-Friendly Shipping: To prevent inflated shipping costs and ensure indestructible packaging, my wife and I head out almost every evening, often at unusual hours, to collect heavy-duty industrial cardboard from businesses in our neighborhood.
We hand-select only pre-evaluated, ultra-resistant materials to offer you maximum protection at the lowest possible cost.
Choosing our lots means relying on the historic expertise of a family that has lived this passion since 2004, while investing in the next generation. Our schools and students thank you deeply for your trust.
Happy bidding!
Translated by Google TranslateBring into your home the primal strength and timeless elegance of great Italian design. This zoomorphic sculpture in the shape of a Horse, born in the 1970s from the golden collaboration between the iconic designer Enzo Mari and master artisans Fratelli Mannelli, is much more than a decorative object: it is a fragment of Modernism history.
The circular silhouette, interrupted only by sharp, geometric cuts, perfectly embodies the minimalist philosophy of the period. A designer paperweight or a showpiece for your bookshelf that catches the eye and celebrates the pure materiality of Tuscan stone.
Enzo Mari (1932–2020) was one of the most revolutionary theoreticians and designers of 20th-century Italy. His approach rejected superfluous decoration to focus on the geometric and essential decomposition of forms. The series of zoomorphic animal figures in stone (of which the piranha is one of the most iconic and sought-after subjects) applies his famous search for the “ideal form”: remove material until only the minimum indispensable graphic sign remains to make the animal perfectly recognizable.
Active in Tuscany (based in Signa) from the 1960s, the Fratelli Mannelli were absolute pioneers in reinterpretating local stone applied to office and interior objects. Their extraordinary artisanal skill transformed a material historically tied to monumental architecture into small domestic masterpieces (pen holders, paperweights, sculptures) distributed and appreciated internationally.
The Brutalist movement is known for the exaltation of raw materials, the absence of artificially polished finishes, and the massive, primitive geometric shapes. In this sculpture, the style masterfully fuses with minimalism: the fish is not depicted in anatomical detail, but evoked through the stone’s thickness, the clean circular silhouette, and deep cuts that simulate an open mouth and gills, yielding a powerful, sculptural, and magnetic visual presence.
The sculpture is entirely extracted and worked from the famous Rapolano Travertine (Siena). Unlike classic polished marbles, travertine stands out for its naturally porous, matte surface rich in small voids. The Fratelli Mannelli deliberately chose to leave the stone natural and unplastered: this means that each single sculpture features beige veins, warm hues, and unique holes of its kind, making this piece a one-of-a-kind object in the world.
Seller's Story
Welcome to our Catawiki store. Our journey in online sales began back in 2004, driven by a clear vision: creating online auctions dedicated to high-value objects.
Today, more than twenty years later, we carry forward that exact same vision. We are proud to have remained a small, family-run business, yet operating with the solidity and scale of major industry professionals: each year, we welcome more than 100 new clients, purchase over 150 lots, and select between 3,000 and 5,000 unique items to offer you.
Our commitment is reflected in everything we do, from the initial find to the final delivery to your doorstep:
• A Purchase with Social Value: Buying from us means securing a great deal while actively supporting the future of young Italian students. We collaborate closely with 3 graphic design and advertising schools in Milan, Bergamo, and Lecco.
We invest our time and expertise to teach these students the secrets of online sales, professional photography, and marketing. By choosing us, you are tangibly contributing to their education and career paths.
• Field Research and Discovery: For years, we have been personally scouting the most remote locations across Lombardy to find unique pieces, rarities, oddities, and mid-century modern design.
• We Invest Our Own Capital: We do not sell on consignment. We invest our own capital upfront to purchase and restore every single item, taking on all the risks ourselves.
• Direct Dealings with No Intermediaries: We manage every single price personally.
This allows us to eliminate third-party costs and ensure you get the best possible profit margin as a buyer or collector.
• Meticulous Restoration and Quality Control: We get our hands dirty. Every item is carefully restored and verified with an obsessive eye for detail before going up for auction.
• Secure and Eco-Friendly Shipping: To prevent inflated shipping costs and ensure indestructible packaging, my wife and I head out almost every evening, often at unusual hours, to collect heavy-duty industrial cardboard from businesses in our neighborhood.
We hand-select only pre-evaluated, ultra-resistant materials to offer you maximum protection at the lowest possible cost.
Choosing our lots means relying on the historic expertise of a family that has lived this passion since 2004, while investing in the next generation. Our schools and students thank you deeply for your trust.
Happy bidding!
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Era
1900-2000
Manufacturer/brand
Fratelli Mannelli
Country of origin
Italy
Style
Mid-century modern
Material
Marble
Artist
Enzo Mari (1932-2020)
Title of artwork
"Cavallo" Brutalista in Travertino - ORIGINALE, Vintage
Signature
Not signed
Year
1970
Condition
Good condition
Height
100 mm
Width
110 mm
Depth
30 mm
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