Ivan Zanoni

The march of the crabs, series of wrought-iron sculptures by Italian blacksmith

2011

Sculptor Ivan Zanoni is likely among the last blacksmiths in the world who relies on medieval techniques to create magnificent iron sculptures. Having learned the craft from his father, sculptor Luciano Zanoni, Ivan is celebrated internationally for his provocative animal sculptures and other works. 

Ivan Zanoni was born in Caldes, Trento, Italy, and wasted no time getting his little hands into all sorts of trouble. Burning himself was just the first of many lessons he would learn while working in his father’s workshop, but in the years that followed, Ivan would come to master the traditions most closely associated with the family name. There is a long history of blacksmithing in the Zanoni family, and many artisans have passed down skills to younger generations, who’ve managed to formulate their own unique approach to their craft. 

Today, father and son work together in their shared workshop even as their subjects and methods vary. Luciano’s ideas take shape in his head, and while he may draw the initial outlines of a concept in chalk on the ground before lighting the fire, he usually skips the concepting stage altogether. Ivan, on the other hand, tends to sketch out ideas, make plasticine models and cut sheet metal accordingly before beginning to work with his material. Sometimes a given work can take years to complete.

Ivan is probably best known for the vast range of figurative sculptures he’s created over the years, all of which draw on the wonders of the animal kingdom, while his father specializes in sculpting olive trees and other plant life in iron. Their approaches intersect with a love of nature, each holding a firm belief that remaining rooted to the earth, grounded both emotionally and spiritually, is critical to much more than just their art. 

Ivan began to explore sculpture on his own in 1998. He has exhibited his work at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto. He created a series of sculptures representing the fables of La Fontaine and has completed multiple feline sculptures inspired by the stories of Italian writer Emilio Salgari. The Salamon Fine Art gallery in Milan represents both Ivan and Luciano Zanoni, and some of their work is held in the gallery’s permanent collection.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Ivan Zanoni sculptures.