Domenico Greco.Atlantic Sculptor and Much More, The article that appeared a few years ago (November 22, 2018 ) on the pages of “Corriere Della Sera” regarding the sculptor Domenico Greco, author-sculptor of many Atlantic soldiers, ECSI, and Waterloo 1815 figures-sets made by journalist Alessandro Fulloni, a toy soldier enthusiast and author of this article.
Domenico Greco.Atlantic Sculptor and Much More Interview
Together with a friend, Pietro Guerra, Companions he founded the Atlantic, one of the target shooters, alpines, paratroopers, aviators, and sailors of Italy. Boxes initially rather naïf but soon they became well-groomed in every historical detail. With the corollary of endless controversies came the famous series dedicated to revolutions: Lenin and Mao, but also Mussolini and Hitler. The fantasy in power: planes, plastics, the “Giocagol” (a poor relative of Subbuteo). And those works passed through the hands of the Greeks: from the series of the ancient Egyptians — considered the most beautiful in the artistic profile — to the western ones. Finally, the «astral» — as he calls them — that starred Captain Harlock and Goldrake, the most followed protagonists of Japanese cartoons aired on the second Rai channel. These two last collections were «the Swan Song of the Atlantic. After entering the eighties, children stopped playing with soldiers. They preferred the video games of the first consoles.” The company, which had been appreciated by Europe and in the United States, must close its doors.
They paid well. »
The Maestro goes on with a flashback: “Comrades had heard about me, I don’t know from whom, maybe from the wife who had a toy store right in Via Sarpi. I was a little over twenty years old and I made statues for cribs. He asked if I wanted to dedicate myself to soldiers and I said yes. Not really my job but I’d give it a try. I was a little ashamed and initially, I didn’t say anything about my new business to the colleagues with whom we discussed the evening of Michelangelo and Canova. I liked it though. And I have to say that Companions paid well.”
A long process
Ready, go: the feet and blades of the Maestro — author of monuments to the fallen in several Italian squares — begin to mold wax that transforms into arches, spears, helmets, Colt and Winchester, beards, and bare chests. Then the spacesuits of Actarus and Alcor, the galactic uniforms of the crew of Arcadia, and the spaceship of Harlock. The «statuettes» — of twenty centimeters — that came out of Via Bramante were just the first of the steps that would take the soldiers inside the boxes. The sequel was only indirectly Greco who sent his works with a courier to Treviglio, in Bergamasque, where Atlantic had their production. «Here the models were wrapped in heraldic shells, a species of very hard and resistant resin — it continues —, from which the mold was taken, a real “fingerprint” that was then processed with the pantograph, a mechanical instrument or precision that allows these shells to “reproduce” by reducing them on the scale of 1:32 or 1:72″. After shutting down
Very COOL article ! Can always count on you to have informative & unique stories on your site, Thanks Paul .
This is an enjoyable an unexpected article from a great sculptor. Thanks, Paul!
Sad that Atlantic was shut down so soon, but glad he was able to continue creating figures with other toy makers.
I was left hanging since he didn’t explain why so many of the Atlantic 7th Calvary were pincushions! ;_)
More recently Mr. Greco sculpted the Waterloo 1815 Custer’s Last Stand figures
Can anyone suggest a good source for Waterloo 1815 brand figures?
I looked at the Waterloo 1815 Custer’s Last Stand set online & they’re great poses but I noticed the flag only has 11 stripes?
Hobby Bunker