Fanno Messan, Forgotten Sculptor and Confident Tomboy

Fano Messan was well known in the interwar years but has been forgotten by the art market—until today. The presentation of her sculpture The Couple is an event in itself. Found during an inventory, it was acquired by the current owner’s father to add to his collection dedicated to the 1920s-1930s. Its massive, synthetic forms echo the work of Chana Orloff and Manolo, while its primitive spirit and use of concrete reflect the modernist…