Farewell to Arnaldo Pomodoro, a great Italian sculptor. His bond with the wine worl

The art world has lost one of its most influential, lucid and visionary voices. Arnaldo Pomodoro, the great Italian sculptor has passed away at the age of 98. The Maestro is famous the world over - his works are exhibited in the major museums and cities, Rome, New York, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv. He had always cultivated a profound partnership with the wine world, creating unique artworks for the top Made in Italy brands. He sculpted“ Carapace” for the Lunelli family, in Umbria (the first sculpture-winery on the planet), “Cancello Solare”, a monumental sculpture that is exhibited, together with other works by esteemed artists, in the museum-winery Ca ’del Bosco, “Centenarium”, a spiral sculpture positioned at the entrance of the Ferrari Wineries in Trento, which he created to celebrate the centenary of the brand, for which he also created an iconic “Disco” in 1992.
Carapace, the first sculpture-winery in the world, has just turned 20. It was designed for the Lunelli Estate in the heart of Umbria. The project began in the early 2000s, when the Lunelli family fell in love with Sagrantino and its territory, and acquired some historic vineyards in Montefalco and Bevagna, in 2001. Just two years later, in 2003, they produced the first vintage of Montefalco Sagrantino. The Lunelli family then decided to commission the construction of the winery to Arnaldo Pomodoro, to whom they were linked by a long-standing friendship and previous collaborations. Upon visiting the Estate, the Maestro immediately conceived the idea of the artwork, integrating it with nature and celebrating the archaic nature of the area. “I had envisioned the Carapace as an element that could emerge from the earth, like a large dome that emphasizes the strength and power of nature. A place where wine is born inside the sculpture”, Pomodoro said. Carapace was inaugurated in 2012. Its shape brings to mind the carapace shell of a turtle, an animal that symbolizes longevity. Longevity is the element that links the artwork to Montefalco Sagrantino wine, the identity of the territory, and known for its extraordinary capacity for aging. As soon as it was inaugurated, Carapace received the UNESCO Award “La Fabbrica nel Paesaggio” and participated in the Venice Biennale in the section “The architecture of Made in Italy”. Since then, it has become a fundamental destination for art and wine lovers. It was recently included in the international award, the World’s Best Vineyards 2024, as one of the 50 best wineries in the world. It was awarded the prestigious title of “Highest New Entry”, in twenty-fifth place.
The bond between the Lunelli family and Arnaldo Pomodoro dates back to 1984, when Gino Lunelli met the Maestro for the first time. From that moment on, a cultural and human partnership began that would lead to creating important artworks, such as the sculpture “Centenarium”, which Arnaldo Pomodoro created in 2002 to celebrate the first 100 years of Ferrari’s history (founded in 1902). The artwork welcomes visitors at the entrance to the Ferrari Winery in Trento. The “Centenarium Ferrari”, representing bubbles rising towards the sky, is a bronze sculpture about six meters high, which is visible and highly admired by those traveling along the Autostrada del Brennero.
The Lunelli family was linked by a deep friendship with Arnaldo Pomodoro, who created a multiple sculpture in gilded bronze, “Disco”, in 1992, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Ferrari sparkling wine. Their relationship continues today, and has evolved into a broader commitment to culture and corporate social responsibility, thanks to Tenute Lunelli’s support of the Arnaldo Pomodoro Foundation, of which Matteo Lunelli is a member of the Board of Directors.
The“ Solar Gate”, placed at the entrance to Ca ’del Bosco, one of the most prestigious brands in Franciacorta, and a pioneer in linking wine and art, is one of Arnaldo Pomodoro’s best-known and best-loved works. Maurizio Zanella, owner of Ca ’del Bosco commissioned the artwork in 1985. He asked the Maestro to create a gate that would represent an emblematic entrance to the vineyards and to the entire property. It is a circular structure, 5 meters in diameter, which opens into two semicircles weighing 25 quintals each. The circular gate has upward pointing tips, similar to arrows. It represents and introduces the consecration of the relationship between wine and art, a large sun. As Zanella said, “the true nourishment of the grapes is the sun, which together with its rays warms and illuminates the gentle hills of Ca' del Bosco”. The link between Ca' del Bosco and art dates back to the 1970s, when Maurizio Zanella first perceived the profound connection between wine and artistic imagination, as they are both the result of a magical union of nature, ideas, the soul and the senses.