Bronze Works

Large or massive bells are often made to celebrate a character or an event. They are placed in town squares or public places, some suspended but many installed on a base to allow admirers to walked around them and appreciate the beauty, details, and meanings of the bas-reliefs. Jubilee Bell – year 2000 (5 tons, Vatican Gardens) Peace Bell – year 1999 (Central Plaza, Tirana, Albania) Peace Bell dedicated to the Ladins and all Ethnic Minorities – year 2019 (Saint Juliana Sanctuary, Sèn Jan, Vigo di Fassa, Trento, Italy) Milano Expo Bell – year 2015 (Monumental Cemetery, Milan, Italy) Hope Bell, a gift to Pope Innocent XII – year 2016 (Spinazzola, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Puglia, Italy) Bells in remembrance of victims of the explosions of the 3 mines in Marcinelle (Belgium), Monongah (West Virginia), and Arsia (Croatia) Peace Bell dedicated as a memorial to those who died in service in all wars (Monte Pizzo Monaco, Antillo, Messina, Sicily, Italy) Bell of the Angels of San Giuliano – year 2002 (Cemetery in San Giuliano di Puglia, Campobasso, Molise, Italy)

Ettore Marinelli, the established and esteemed sculptor representing the 27th generation of craftsmen from Agnone, uses traditional techniques to skillfully produce any modern work of art requested. The crafting of such pieces is done in the same as it has always been done, with the same method used in ancient civilizations and for over 25 centuries: the sculpture is molded in clay and cast using the lost wax method. Small scale reproductions can be made based on models or projects done by other artists, or unique pieces, fruit of the sculptor’s intellect, creativity and very personal style, can be created based on original sketches and sculptures. Monuments crafted by Marinelli are located in plazas, parks, ports, basilicas, prestigious buildings, public places and private residences throughout Italy and around the world.

In addition to monuments that celebrate local or national historical figures, Marinelli reproduces complete busts and bas-reliefs that portray famous men and women or even beloved family members and less well-known but highly esteemed people. The sculptor Ettore Marinelli has the innate and rare gift of representing any subject with extraordinary physical and character resemblance, whether live or based on photographs. The work is molded in clay and evaluated by the client before being cast in bronze using the age-old lost wax technique. Delivery times are approximately 3 months from the day the original portrait bust is defined. Each piece created is installed by Marinelli anywhere in Italy.

Around the mid-1900s, the sculptor Ettore Marinelli Sr. began frequently creating stunning altars and exquisite doors installed at the entrances of important churches. (examples can be seen at the following Sanctuaries: Madonna della Scala – Noci, Madonna Addolorata – Castelpetroso, Madonna Immacolata – Riccia, Antoniano – Lama dei Peligni, and at the Cathedral of Lipari) In the 1980s, Ettore’s son Armando carried on his legacy, shaping precious reliefs for beautiful bronze doors. (examples can be seen at the following churches: St. Vitale, Naples; Montediprocida; St. Chiara, Città Sant’Angelo) Today, the artistic bas-reliefs for bronze doors and altars, made for any size of church and even for large cathedrals, are the fruit of collaborative work by Paola Patriarca Marinelli and Ettore Marinelli. Starting from the design, to the sketches and drawings, to the casting – using the same techniques and materials as always – this duo creates precious bronze works that are always in harmony with the style of the sacred building and with the client’s request. These works of art often display modern traits or are done in a more classic style if desired. Either way, they always convey deep emotion and display exceptional elegance and style. A bronze door, beyond its great religious significance, is a complex and extensive work of art that should be observed meticulously. The doors symbolize the open arms of the Church, welcoming humanity to engage in its ever-increasing exploration of spirituality. (examples can be seen at the following churches: Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome; Cathedral of Guardialfiera; St. Pasquale, Villaricca; St. Rocco, Campodimele; Rural Sanctuary Madonna delle Stelle, Sant’ Angelo Limosano; Santa Maria Assunta, Provvidenti; San Gerardo, Rionero in Vulture. Ornamental door panels: Santa Maria delle Grazie, San Giovanni Rotondo; mother church of Morcone)