Leonardo Bistolfi (1859-1933): A Sculptor Steeped in Symbolism Leonardo Bistolfi (March 14, 1859 – September 2, 1933) stands as a towering figure within Italian Symbolist sculpture and Art Nouveau aesthetics. Born in Casale Monferrato, Piedmont, to Giovanni Bistolfi, a sculptor specializing in wood carving, his early life was marked by tragedy—the untimely death of his father at just 26 years old profoundly shaping his artistic trajec…