BISTOLFI, LEONARDO. — Sculptor, born in Casale Monferrato on 14 March 1859, died in Turin on 2 October 1933. After an initial naturalistic training, he moved toward an idealization of reality inspired by the sinuous elegance of the floral style, and especially in his bas-reliefs he displayed a sensitivity more pictorial than plastic. Even when he tackled monumental themes (the Cross for the Orsini tomb at Staglieno, Genoa; the monument to Segantini at S. Maurizio; and that to Carducci at Bologna), he rarely achieved the necessary plastic and architectural synthesis. His works of sacred art, such as the Crucifix for the Brayda tomb at Villarbasse (1901)—which, because of its imperfectly outstretched arms, was accused of Jansenism—give the impression that he remained, in some way, outside the strict tradition of Catholic art. His output, however, by virtue of a certain spiritual vein, stands in open contrast to the materialistic taste then prevalent.
He was a senator of the Kingdom and held important public offices.