Extreme Effort - Alfredo Pina (1883-1966)

Alfredo Pina’s Extreme Effort (Le Suprême Effort) is a striking bronze sculpture that embodies the raw struggle of human perseverance. This expressive work portrays a muscular male figure in a moment of intense exertion, his body twisting as he kneels upon a rocky base, arms flung behind his head in a desperate yet defiant gesture. The tension captured in his sinewy form, along with the rough-hewn textural contrast between the rock and the figure’s anatomy, enhances the sculpture’s dramatic intensity.
A student of Auguste Rodin, Pina infused his work with deep psychological expression, evident in this piece’s bold modeling and dynamic energy. The sculpture stands as a testament to both physical strain and existential struggle, resonating with the themes of Symbolism and Expressionism.
Documented in Gaston de Pawlowski’s 1929 publication and featured in major exhibitions, Extreme Effort has appeared in Sotheby’s and Bonhams auctions, attesting to its significance in Pina’s body of work. Similar to his Bust of Beethoven and L’Homme Tourmenté, this piece reflects Pina’s fascination with resilience, making it a compelling addition to any collection of early 20th-century figurative sculpture.