Riccardo Scarpa was an Italian sculptor, draughtsman, and medallist, born in Venice in 1905. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, notably under Annibale De Lotto and Carlo Lorenzetti, before moving to Paris in 1928, where he spent most of his artistic career.

His work is distinguished by a remarkable command of materials and a constant pursuit of formal elegance. Working in bronze, terracotta, marble, stone, and granite, Scarpa developed a distinctive sculptural language characterized by stylized volumes and refined, flowing lines. His early works, frequently depicting African figures, reflect an aesthetic closely associated with Art Deco. From the 1940s onward, he increasingly turned to animal sculpture, portraying birds and other creatures through simplified forms imbued with movement and poetic sensitivity.

Alongside his sculptures, Riccardo Scarpa designed decorative objects, lighting, and furniture, including zoomorphic bronze pieces. He also pursued a significant career as a medallist, collaborating with the Monnaie de Paris from the 1960s. In 1974, he was awarded a gold medal by the Société des artistes français in recognition of his work exhibited at the Salon des artistes français.

Bridging sculpture and the decorative arts, Riccardo Scarpa created a distinctive body of work defined by balanced proportions, sensual forms, and a refined interpretation of the natural world.