Incredibly realistic carved animals by Giuseppe Rumerio

Some time ago we introduced you to an artist who, inspired by nature and wildlife, managed to reproduce incredibly lifelike images of animals through pyrography. Nature also inspires the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Rumerio to create works so realistic that you wonder if those sculpted animals are going to move the next second. Rumerio is recognized as one of the world's greatest animal sculptors, which is why I thought I'd give him a few lines.

Giuseppe Rumerio lives and works in Ortisei, in the Val Gardena region of the Dolomites, Italy. Wood has been carved in this region for hundreds of years, so it was very hard for little Giuseppe to stay away from the art, fascinated by the way the old craftsmen worked. At the age of 14 he became an apprentice, taking his first steps on the artistic path under the supervision of a recognized craftsman. Since then he has worked continuously. He set up his own workshop and with the guy he had apprentices. Now, at almost 70, he is a master sculptor and works alone. He says it's easier that way. He prefers to do everything by himself, to delve into his work without feeling the pressure.

Inspiration comes from nature. That's where the animal images come from and the approach is always dynamic. Animals are sculpted running or wrestling. The ability to draw helps him a lot. Another source of inspiration is the French artists of the late 19th-early 20th century, whom he greatly admires.

But Rumerio doesn't just sculpt animals. He has an impressive catalog of sacred sculpture, study sculptures of the female body, and other subjects. One of his female studies is dedicated to supermodel Naomi Campbell.

Many of the sculptures are made on commission, for old clients who keep coming back for more. He's used to working on several sculptures at the same time. This way, by switching from one to another, he can spot any mistakes or mismatches. But sometimes he needs to concentrate on just one sculpture, and for a period of time he devotes himself to that work. Only when he is convinced that the road is perfectly mapped out can he move on to others.

His favorite wood to work with is pine, but he says any wood is good for carving. What he considers very important is that the wood is handcrafted, as this is the only way to carry on the tradition. Lately there have been a lot of machine carving, but a handmade piece will always have the hand of the carver, it will always be something special.

From the desire to preserve the tradition of hand carving in 1994, on the initiative of some artists from the Val Gardena area, the UNIKA exhibition was born, where for 3 days the artists work in front of people, so that they can observe their qualities, see how the wood is gradually transformed into a work of art. It is the only time when admirers can ask questions and learn more about how the work is made. The exhibition awarded Giuseppe Rumerio the title of 'Master Artist', the highest certification of his talent.