Marino Marini (1901-1980), one of the leading Italian sculptors of the 20th century, was also a painter, etcher and lithographer. In his early years he was mainly a graphic artist, but later expanded to sculpture. He taught at several Italian art academies and lived most of his life in Milan. Traveling widely in the 1930's, in Paris he was in contact with many of the distinguished modern artists of that time (Braque, Picasso, Giacometti). The subject of the horse and rider, his favorite theme, was explored repeatedly with varied symbolism. There are three Marini museums in Italy and his works are in numerous major museums and collections throughout the world.