Rudolph Edward Torrini

Rudolph Edward Torrini
Born (1923-03-31) March 31, 1923
St.Louis, Missouri
Nationality American
Education BFA, Washington University 1949; Fulbright Scholar, Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze 1949; MFA, University of Notre Dame 1958
Known for Sculpture, Wood Carving, Drawing
Notable work Italian Immigrants, Martin Luther King, Union Soldier

Rudolph Edward Torrini (born March 31, 1923) is an American artist most known for his sculptures, wood carvings and bronze public monuments in the St. Louis area, including "The Immigrants", "The Union Soldier," and "Martin Luther King." A student of Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic, his work is also influenced by the works of Auguste Rodin. Torrini trained and taught Bob Cassilly,[1] founder of the City Museum in St. Louis, and also helped establish the Master of Fine Arts program in Fontbonne College.

Life

Rudolph Torrini's "The Italian Immigrants" in The Hill, St. Louis. Rudolph was born to an Italian American family in St. Louis

Youth

Rudolph Torrini was born in St. Louis the son of Stella DiPalma, a pianist in silent movie houses, and Cherinto Torrini, a plaster mold-maker from Garfagnana, Tuscany. After the death of his father, he became a jazz saxophone performer in his teenage years to support his family, then enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942, serving as a clarinetist on the ship's band of the transport ship U.S.S. West Point.

Education

Torrini had begun drawing during the war, and afterwards earned a BFA at Washington University, then was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study for a year at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze in Florence, Italy in 1949. Afterwards, he earned his MFA at the University of Notre Dame, where he studied under Ivan Mestrovic. He went on to teach first at Webster College (now Webster University) for 17 years, then chaired the Art Department at Fontbonne College for 35 years.[2]


St. Louis artists community

Torrini was part of the community of 20th Century St. Louis artists that included Edward Boccia, Fred Green Carpenter, Fred Conway, Herb Cummings, Werner Drewes, Gustav Goetsch, Bill Fett, Phil Sultz, Jan Sultz, and Bob Cassilly. He did most of his initial work with clay at his studio in his home in the St. Louis suburb of Webster Groves. Torrini is married to Ann Walsh Torrini, a painter and maker of stained glass window illustrations, and has four children.

Musical career

Album cover of "Jazz Classics" by the Tiger Rag Forever Jazz Band.

Rudolph Torrini first worked as a jazz saxophone player and clarinetists during the 1930s and 40s, including performing as part of the Navy Band present at Franklin Delano Roosevelt's funeral. Later, in the 1970s, he formed a Dixieland band with five other musicians called Tiger Rag Jazz Forever, which performed in the St. Louis area and recorded 3 LPs, including Tigers on Parade.[3] All of their recordings feature clarinet and saxophone solos by Torrini. In addition, he was a lover of classical music, and always listened to it while working on his sculptures in his studio.

Major works

Rudolph Torrini is best known for his bronze cast public monuments, but he has also made many smaller statues, bas-reliefs, wood carvings, and drawings. A life long Catholic, many of his works have religious themes (for example "John Paul II", "St. Patrick"), while others commemorate groups or individuals, ("Italian Immigrants", "Martin Luther King") or explore the human body ("The Four Seasons and the Clouds").

Public monuments in the St. Louis Area

Other major works


Discography

Honors and awards

References

  1. Langer, Emily (October 4, 2011). "Bob Cassilly, sculptor and creator of quirky St. Louis museum and park, dies at 61". Washington Post. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  2. Jarrett, Linda (October 19, 2012). "A Webster Tribute to Rudolph Torrini". Webster Kirkwood Times. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  3. "Tigers on parade [sound recording] / Tiger Rag Forever Jazz Band." Check |url= value (help). bridges.searchmobius.org. MOBIUS. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  4. Allen, Michael R. "Finding traces of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in St. Louis". The St. Louis American. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  5. S, Bruce. "Saint Louis Police Memorial - St. Louis, Missouri". www.waymarking.com. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  6. "Memorial to Christopher Harris". www.racstl.org. Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  7. Farrell, Edward. "Ruma Center, another historic St. Louis convent landmark". wn.com. Retrieved 14 September 2014.

External links

Personal Website and Gallery


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