LONDON.-Sotheby’s annual 20th Century Italian Art Sale is now approaching the 9th consecutive year. Since 1999 eight Italian sales have been hold in London, till the 98,5% sold by value reached in the last year’s auction setting three new auction records for Alighiero Boetti, (“Tutto”, 1988-90, sold for GBP 568.000), Afro (“Golfo degli Aranci”, 1957, sold for GBP 467.200) and for maestro, Luciano Fabro (“Italia Carta Stradale”, 1969, sold for GBP 489.600), recently dead.
The catalogue of the 2007 edition will include works by some of the key Italian artists of the 20th century, which will be on view in Milan at Palazzo Broggi:
- Giorgio De Chirico, Mobili nella valle, oil on canvas, executed circa 1929-30, cm. 100x81 (estimate: GBP 350.000 450.000);
- Mario Sironi, Contadini, signed, oil on canvas, cm. 106x82, executed in 1928, exhibited in Athens in 1931 (estimate GBP 200.000-300.000);
- Giorgio Morandi, Natura Morta, 1957circa, olio on canvas, cm. 30x35, donated by the artist to the late owner in 1958 (est. GBP 240.000-280.000)
- Marino Marini:
- Piccolo Cavaliere, 1950, stamped ‘MM’ on the base, hand chiselled and polychrome bronze, cm. 42x42x23, est. GBP 500.000-700.000
- Piccolo Miracolo, bronze, 1953, estimate: GBP 180.000 – 220.000;
- A group of outstanding Lucio Fontana’s works starting from Concetto Spaziale, 1968, signed and titled on the reverse, red waterpaint and slashes on canvas, cm. 65x81, (estimate GBP 700.000-1.000.000)
Following are:
- Concetto spaziale, signed and dated ‘1955’, oil and peebles on canvas, cm. 70x60, (est. GBP 600.000 – 800.000);
- Concetto spaziale, New York, signed, copper, cm. 82,5x58, executed in 1962; the work was exhibited several times between 60s and 90s in Italy, America and Japan (est. GBP 300.000-350.000);
- Concetto spaziale, Attesa, signed, titled and dated ‘1963’ on the reverse, waterpaint on canvas, cm. 60x46; exhibited in Rio de Janerio, Brasilia and San Paulo in 2001-2002 (est. GBP 150.000-200.000);
- Mimmo Rotella, All’Auditorium, signed, titled and dated 1962 on the reverse, decollage on canvas, cm. 61x98. est. GBP 70.00-100.00; dated at two years later (1964) La Storia del Cinema (l’ultima Marilyn, la dernière Marilyn, acquired directly from the artist by the owner, cm. 100x70 circa (est. GBP 170.000-190.000)
- Massimo Campigli, Idolo, oil on canvas, signed and dated ‘62’, cm. 100x81 (est. 90.000-120.000)
- Michelangelo Pistoletto, Gilardi trasporta un cubo, Painted tissue paper collage on polished stainless steel, cm. 230x120, executed in 1966, cm. 200x120, (estimate GBP 200.000 – 300.000)
- Fausto Melotti, The Apartheid, 1967, signed, brass and bronze, published several times and exhibited in Rome and Germany (est. GBP 70.000-90.000)
Alighiero Boetti, Mappa, 1988, embroidered tapestry, cm.114x213, (est. GBP 400.000 – 600.000)
From Japan an Achrome by Piero Manzoni, 1959, kaolin on canvas, cm 100x80 ( est £ 1.200.000 - £ 1.800.000).
In the days of the travelling exhibition of works from the 9th Italian Sale in Milan, Sotheby’s Milan will host a special exhibition of dresses realized in the 60s by some major Italian modern artists: Fontana, Pomodoro, Baj and Lucio Del Pezzo.
In Spring 1961 in Milan a group of artists – but above all a group of friends, among whom Lucio Fontana, Baj, etc - were ‘challenged’ by mrs Bruna Bini, (the owner of one of the most famous dressmaker’s workshop in the fashionable Via Montenapoleone, Milan) to design a lady fashion collection, then called “Models-Forms-Ideas”.
The collection was funny and surreal, a ‘divertissement’ but too flamboyant for the classic fashion taste of that period. Mrs Bini received very few requests from clients but most of them came from abroad.
Lucio Fontana’s dresses were appreciated by Iris Clert, the famous Parisian dealer and Yves Klein’s agent and she ordered some dresses for her and one for Brigitte Bardot, the actress.
Now some of these creations coming from the collection of Gentucca Bini – the fashion designer and heir of mrs Bruna Bini will be exhibited at Palazzo Broggi: 6 dresses dated 1961 and signed by Lucio Fontana, Enrico Baj, Lucio Del Pezzo and Arnaldo Pomodoro.
