Arnaldo Pomodoro, the iconic sculptor behind the world’s greatest bronze spheres, has passed
away, sealing an era of art history with his signature cracked surfaces now forever still.
At a Glance
● Renowned Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro has died at the age of 98 in his home in
Milan.
● He was a pioneer known for his iconic bronze spheres, which are displayed in prominent
public spaces globally, including at the Vatican and the United Nations.
● The spheres’ cracked surfaces were meant to symbolize the complex and often troubled
interior world hiding beneath a perfect, smooth exterior.
● His work adorned places like the Vatican Museums, the UN Headquarters in New York,
and the foreign ministry in Rome.
● Tributes from the art world and Italian officials have poured in, celebrating his
revolutionary contributions to contemporary sculpture.
A Masterpiece and Its Maker
Arnaldo Pomodoro, the legendary Italian artist known for his awe-inspiring bronze spheres,
passed away at 98 in Milan. Pomodoro began his artistic journey in Morciano, where he was
born in 1926. His early interests in goldsmithing and stage design formed a solid foundation for
his revolutionary contributions to contemporary sculpture.
As detailed in obituaries in The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, Pomodoro gained
global recognition with his debut of the first monumental bronze sphere at the 1966 Montreal
Expo. His ‘Sphere Within a Sphere’ series would eventually be installed at the Vatican
Museums, the United Nations in New York, and the Italian foreign ministry.
The Poetry of Cracked Exteriors
Pomodoro’s unique vision was exemplified through the poetically cracked surfaces of his
spheres, a trademark design that symbolized pristine exteriors clashing with complex, chaotic
interiors. This duality mirrors the fragile beauty and intricate depths of human existence.
Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said the “wounded” spheres “speak to us today of the
fragility and complexity of the human and the world,” in a tribute covered by the Times Union.
The artist himself described his work as representing “a smooth exterior womb erupted by
complex interior forms” that held out “a promise for the rebirth of a less troubled and destructive
world.”
A Legacy of Art and Influence
Beyond sculpture, Pomodoro ventured into theatrical set design and taught at esteemed
institutions, including Stanford University and UC Berkeley. His retrospective exhibition at the
Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana highlighted the timeless relevance of his art.
The art world bids farewell to a luminary whose work redefined contemporary sculpture.
Pomodoro’s ability to evoke the complexities of the human experience through deceptively
smooth yet intricate forms remains unmatched. As his masterpieces continue to captivate
audiences globally, his legacy stands as a testament to the enduring power of a unique creative
vision.