Prof. Almo Bonaldi (Italian, 1890-1966) A carved white marble genre bust of a manProf. Almo Bonaldi (Italian, 1890-1966): A carved white marble genre bust of a manhis stylised anguished face turned to sinister, his hair trailing onto bare shoulders, signed to front of the base PROF. BONALDI and dated 7-5-1935/Toulon to one side, the back uncarved and unpolished, 41cm high Provenance:Private collection, FranceThe smoothed and simplified features of the offered lot recall works in the manner of the Accademia di belle arti di Carrara by Italian sculptors such as Carlo Fontana in the opening years of the 20th century. Evoking the expressive and stylised tragic masks of classical theatre, the signature 'Prof. Bonaldi' to the bust associate it with the sculptor Almo Bonaldi whose studio specialised in marble works in the town of Carrara. In 1930, Bonaldi participated in the Premio Reale-Premio Dervillé at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara representing young sculptors of the new century. The contest was organized by the academy in collaboration with local quarries and marble industrialists of the region. However by the mid 1930s Bonaldi was known to have been working in Southern France in the port of Toulon.