Felice Tosalli (1883-1958) was the most important representative of animal sculpture in Italy, a genre he interpreted with refined, fairytale-like taste and much sensitivity.

In his animalistic production, the artist shows himself to be original and unique, unparalleled in Europe, so much so that today critics consider him to be the most singular of Italian animalists due to his use of delicately water-coloured wood, his knowledge of comparative anatomy and his empathy.

After training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Turin, he lived in Paris from 1904 to 1907 where he regularly visited the Zoo and the Museum of Natural History at the Jardin des Plantes.

When he returned to Turin, he began exhibiting his works dedicated to the animal kingdom, attracting the interest of Italian and international collectors. The artist demonstrates great skill in drawing and a high technical ability in wood sculpture, often finished using watercolours to achieve greater realism.

Nature is seen as a pristine place where humanity rediscovers its moral virtue. In the works by this artist from Turin, moreover, one notices a particular attention to the puppies of the various species, represented with a tenderness and empathy that seem to prelude the anthropomorphism of the films that Walt Disney, from the 1940s onwards, would bring to the silver screen.

When, on the other hand, he worked with literary, mythological and religious subjects, as well as in his graphic and pictorial production, Tosalli approached Central European Symbolism and, in particular, the style of the Secessions. Adding to the magical suspension of time that characterises these works is the flavour of atmospheres derived from the Egyptian, Greek or ancient oriental civilisations.

Starting in 1928, the artist also devoted himself to the production of ceramics rich in references to elegant international models, first collaborating with the Piedmontese company Lenci and later with Rosenthal & C. and Ceramiche d'Arte Campionesi.

Already well known in collectors and applied arts circles, Tosalli's figure was also finally valued by historians and critics thanks to the publication of several notable monographs, the complete publication of his private archive, which was declared to be of major historical interest and was transferred to the Turin State Archives, and the purchase of some of his ceramics by the Royal Museums of Turin.

In the exhibition dedicated to him by the Mart, curated by Alfonso Panzetta with Beatrice Avanzi, Tosalli's work is represented in a thematic installation. If the wooden sculptures and famous animals are the protagonists, there is no shortage of fine porcelain, pencil drawings and watercolours.