Alfredo Battistini (8 August 1953, in

Uznach Uznach is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. History Uznach is first mentioned in 741 as ''Uzinaa'' in a grant from a noble lady at Benken Abbey to the Abbey of Saint G ...

, Switzerland – 17 May 2008, in St. Gallenkappel, Switzerland) was an Italian-Swiss sculptor, illustrator, and athlete.

Life

Alfredo Battistini was born in Uznach, Switzerland on 8 August 1953. His parents Alearda di Traglia and Alfredo Battistini originated from San Piero in Bagno and

Sarsina Sarsina ( rgn, Sêrsna) is an Italian town situated in the province of Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. Its territory is included in the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines. History Ancient Sarsina or Sassina was a town of the Umbri. Capt ...

in the Romagna, Italy. On 26 December 1971 he boxed in the support fight to

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...

’s match with Juergen Blin at the Hallenstadion in Zurich. He became Swiss Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion in 1976. As a disabled athlete he later won five World Championships, two European Championships and twenty five Swiss weightlifting titles. He won three bronze medals at

1988 Summer Paralympics The 1988 Summer Paralympics () were the first Paralympics in 24 years to take place in the same city as the Olympic Games. They took place in Seoul, South Korea. This was the first time the term "Paralympic" was used officially. Bidding proc ...

in Seoul and

1992 Summer Paralympics )( es, Deporte Sin Límites) , nations = 82 (BCN)75 (MAD) , athletes = 3,020 (BCN)1,600 (MAD) , opened_by = Queen Sofía , opening = 3 September (BCN)15 September (MAD) , closing = 14 September (BCN)22 September (MAD) , even ...

in Barcelona. He won gold and silver medals at the World Championships in

Stoke Mandeville Stoke Mandeville is a village and civil parish in the Vale of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located three miles (4.9 km) from Aylesbury and 3.4 miles (5.5 km) from the market town of Wendover. Although a separate civil p ...

, England and Sydney, Australia. His record performance was a lift of two hundred and twenty kilos. His first apprenticeship was as a bricklayer. In 1976 he moved to Paris to work as an assistant to the fashion photographer Lothar Schmid. He also completed a qualification as a stonemason in

Rapperswil Rapperswil ( Swiss German: or ;Andres Kristol, ''Rapperswil SG (See)'' in: ''Dictionnaire toponymique des communes suisses – Lexikon der schweizerischen Gemeindenamen – Dizionario toponomastico dei comuni svizzeri (DTS, LSG)'', Centre de dia ...

, his Swiss hometown. He also took an apprenticeship as a sports masseur to study human anatomy. He went on to work for Hans Joerg Limbach, studying as the distinguished sculptor's sole student. In 1979, he won a place at the Art Academy in Paris. On 27 May of that year, he was paralyzed in a car accident and was restricted to a wheel chair thereafter. He overcame this setback to devote himself to his art and sport, the later an important part of his rehabilitation. A philanthropist with a strong sense of justice for the weak and disadvantaged, in 2004 he received an award for his achievements at The Paraplegic Centre in Switzerland as Paraplegic of the Year. His love and passion was art and sculpting. He began his early works after a year long study trip through Chile including visits to the Art College in Santiago. In 1983, with the support of Guido A. Zaech, he presented his first exhibition in Bottmingen near Basle. Those works show the inspiration he derived from both Hans Joerg Limbach and

Auguste Rodin François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...

, and above all the master,

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...

himself. His sculptures and choice of material, bronze and marble, reveal his iron will coupled with both sensitivity and vulnerability. His achievement is recognised by many public and sporting works including a piece in honour of the

Circus Knie Circus Knie (german: Schweizer National-Circus Knie, french: Cirque National Suisse Knie) is the largest circus of Switzerland, based in Rapperswil. The circus was founded in 1803 by the Knie family and has existed in its present form since 1919 ...

at the entrance to

or the trophy for the Stuttgart Open Tennis Championship which was received by

Boris Becker Boris Franz Becker (, ; born 22 November 1967) is a German former world No. 1 tennis player. Becker was successful from the start of his career, winning the Wimbledon Championships at the age of 17. He ultimately won six Grand Slam singles tit ...

Stefan Edberg Stefan Bengt Edberg (; born 19 January 1966) is a Swedish former professional tennis player. A major proponent of the serve-and-volley style of tennis, he won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles between 1985 ...

Thomas Muster Thomas Muster (born 2 October 1967) is an Austrian former world No. 1 tennis player. One of the world's leading clay court players in the 1990s, he won the 1995 French Open and at his peak was called "The King of Clay". In addition, he won eig ...

and

Petr Korda Petr Korda (born 23 January 1968) is a Czech former professional tennis player. He won the 1998 Australian Open and was runner-up at the 1992 French Open, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 2 in February 1998. Korda tested positive for dopin ...

. Alfredo Battistini died unexpectedly on 17 March 2008 due to heart failure in his home town St. Gallenkappel at the peak of his career. He was only 54 years old.

Museum

In 2009 Alfredo Battistini's sculpture "La Creazione", an homage to Michelangelo's creation of Adam in the

Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel (; la, Sacellum Sixtinum; it, Cappella Sistina ) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the pope in Vatican City. Originally known as the ''Cappella Magna'' ('Great Chapel'), the chapel takes its name ...

in Rome, was installed in the "Museo Michelangiolesco". This museum is located next to the master's birthplace in the town of

Caprese Michelangelo Caprese Michelangelo is a village and ''comune'' in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy. It is the birthplace of the Renaissance artist Michelangelo. The village is roughly east of Florence. The village is situated in the Valtiberina or High ...

, Tuscany.

Michelangelo Buonarroti Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...

was born there on 6 March 1475.

Athletic achievements

Boxing

* 1971 ** Support fight „Muhammed Ali versus Jürgen Blin“ * 1975 ** Swiss Champion in light heavyweight * 1976 ** Swiss Champion in light heavyweight

Pentathlon

* 1981 ** Swiss Champion

Weight lifting, wheel chair athletics

* 1982 ** World Light Heavyweight Champion and Swiss Champion ** 9th Swiss Wheelchair Championship in Biel * 1983 ** Vice Light Heavyweight Champion and Swiss champion ** 10th Swiss Wheelchair Championship in Thun * 1984 ** Swiss Light Heavyweight Champion ** 11th Swiss Wheelchair Championship in Zurich ** 7th World Wheelchair Games, Paralympics Stoke Mandeville UK, bronze medal (category +95 kg, 195 kg) ** 1st National Wheelchair Sport Meeting in Grosshoechstetten. Gold Medalist * 1985 ** World Light Heavyweight Champion (first lift in wheelchair exceeding 200 kg) ** 8th World Wheelchair Games, Paralympics Stoke Mandeville UK. Gold Medalist ** Swiss Champion at bench press (included able bodied athletes) * 1986 ** World, European and Swiss Light Heavyweight Champion in Kriens & Thun ** Swiss Champion at bench press (included able bodied athletes) * 1987 ** World and Swiss Light Heavyweight Champion ** Swiss champion at bench press (included able bodied athletes) ** International Stoke Mandeville Games. Gold Medalist ** 14th Swiss Wheelchair Championship in Freiburg ** 2nd Champion at Swiss Dev. Gouche Seniors * 1988 ** World Light Heavyweight Champion ** Seoul Paralympics power lifting, (category +95 kg, 187.5 kg) Bronze Medalist * 1992 ** Swiss Champion. Bench Press 200, 220 kg ** 19th Swiss Wheelchair Championship in Zug ** Barcelona Paralympics power lifting (category +100 kg, 190 kg) Bronze Medalist ** World Champion and World Record at the 17th National Wheelchair Games in Adelaide, Australia lifting 220 kg * 1993 ** Gold medal at the world wheel power games Stoke Mandeville, weight lifting, power lifting and combination ** Swiss Champion in bench press 220 kg ** ISMWSF Games Gold * 1994 ** Swiss Champion and Swiss record (12 times improved) at bench press * 1995 ** 2nd Swiss Arm Wrestling Cup in St. Gallen. Record holder for bench press * 1996 ** Swiss Champion class and overall for bench press in Bremgarten (Swiss record of 220 kg) * 1998 ** Vice Swiss Champion at bench press in Bremgarten (210 kg) ** Swiss Championship in wheelchair sports, Rapperswil * 2000 ** Swiss Champion at bench press in Bremgarten (category +100 kg, 210 kg)

Key sculptures

* 1982 ** Laura ** Inspiration * 1985 **Ueberdosis Menschheit * 1992 ** C’est la vie ** Male torso * 1993 ** Memorial to

– White Clown ** Trophy for

Eurocard Open The Eurocard Open was an annual tennis tournament for male professional players. The event was held annually in Stuttgart, Germany, and was played on indoor carpet from 1988 to 1997. Before 1990, during years 1988–1989 the tournament was organiz ...

in Stuttgart * 1994 ** Spirale zum Erfolg ** Tomb Daniela Jutzeler ** Tomb for unnamed * 1995 ** La Creazione (the creation) * 1997 ** La Luce (small) ** Waerme des Lebens ** Sempre Donne ** Mondo Elefanti – memorial for Rolf Knie ** Champion – Trophy for

Andy Hug Andreas "Andy" Hug (7 September 1964 – 24 August 2000) was a Swiss karateka and kickboxer who competed in the heavyweight division. Considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers of all time, Hug was renowned for his abili ...

* 2002 ** La Luce (large) ** Gil, dedication to Gil Rossellini * 2003 ** Engel der Liebe * 2006 ** Faust /Kraft ** Politiker sind Moerder * 2007 ** Il Tempo, marble ** Glut, marble

carrara Carrara ( , ; , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, in central Italy, of the province of Massa and Carrara, and notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some Boxing the compass, west-northwest o ...

* undated ** Geborgenheit ** Insieme ** Per sempre (bronze and marble) ** Sempre Donne (bronze and marble)

Movies

* 2006 ** Kill Gil Volume 2-story of Gil Rossellini starring Gil Rossellini

External links

Alfredo Battistini

Museo Michelangiolesco
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Battistini, Alfredo 1953 births 2008 deaths People from Rapperswil-Jona Medalists at the 1988 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 1992 Summer Paralympics Weightlifters at the 1988 Summer Paralympics Weightlifters at the 1992 Summer Paralympics Paralympic weightlifters for Switzerland Swiss male boxers 20th-century Swiss sculptors 20th-century Swiss male artists Paralympic bronze medalists for Switzerland Paralympic medalists in powerlifting Sportspeople from the canton of St. Gallen