Ugo Cipriani (13 August 1887 – 18 June 1960) was an Italian sculptor whose work stands as a testament to the elegance and dynamism of the Art Deco movement. Born in Florence, Italy, he was the son of Adolfo Cipriani, himself a sculptor of repute. From an early age, Ugo was immersed in the world of sculpture, a tradition that he would later refine through his studies at the prestigious Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze. There, he mastered a variety of materials, working in marble, terracotta, bronze, and alabaster, each medium offering him new possibilities to explore form and movement.

The 1920s marked the flourishing of Cipriani’s career, a period in which Art Deco aesthetics—with their emphasis on streamlined elegance, rhythmic dynamism, and stylized ornamentation—shaped his artistic vision. His figures, often characterized by fluidity of gesture and a harmonious balance between idealization and naturalism, became emblematic of this sophisticated style. Among his most celebrated early works is the imposing bronze monument of Guglielmo Oberdan, unveiled in 1919 in the piazza that bears the martyr’s name in Florence. This public commission solidified his reputation as a sculptor capable of melding historical gravitas with a refined modern sensibility.

However, the rise of Mussolini’s fascist regime in Italy cast a shadow over Cipriani’s life and career. In 1935, forced to flee political persecution, he sought refuge in France, settling in Paris as a political exile. Though displaced from his homeland, he remained deeply committed to his art, continuing to sculpt with the same fervor that had defined his earlier years. In this new environment, he adapted his work to the evolving tastes of the French artistic milieu, producing sculptures that reflected both his Italian classical roots and the avant-garde stylization of interwar France.

During his time in Paris, Cipriani is believed to have worked under various pseudonyms, including "Menneville" and "Uriano", a practice that has intrigued art historians and collectors alike. These names, reportedly attested by his children Lydia and Gabriel, hint at the necessity of anonymity in exile, a means of continuing his craft despite the upheavals of war and displacement.

Cipriani’s sculptural oeuvre is remarkable for its breadth, spanning portrait busts, dynamic figures of fishermen, and sensuous female nudes. His ability to infuse classical techniques with the elegance and modernity of Art Deco set him apart, making his work highly sought after in both Italy and France. His sculptures, whether cast in bronze or carved from marble, possess a timeless allure—a fusion of grace, movement, and an innate understanding of materiality.

Despite the challenges of exile, Cipriani remained artistically active until his death in 1960. His legacy endures through his numerous works, many of which have found a place in private collections, galleries, and prestigious art auctions, where they continue to captivate collectors and connoisseurs of early 20th-century sculpture. Today, Ugo Cipriani is remembered not only as a sculptor of exquisite refinement but also as an artist who bridged two worlds—Italy and France, tradition and modernity, exile and belonging.