MILAN.- Christie’s Italy announced “Milan Modern and Contemporary”, an exciting new auction which will take place on 22 and 23 April 2013 at Palazzo Clerici, Milan. The aim of “Milan Modern and Contemporary” is to supply the high-end of the market with a carefully selected group of works synonymous with exceptional quality. The sale will offer 95 lots, many of which come from prestigious italian and international collections and are being presented at auction for the very first time.

Highlights leading the sale include a rich and iconic selection of works by the greatest Italian Masters, such as Giorgio de Chirico and Lucio Fontana, as well as landmark works created by other renowned Post-War artists: Afro, Bonalumi, Burri, Castellani and Dorazio.

Mariolina Bassetti, Chairman of Christie's Italy, International Director in the Post-War & Contemporary Art Department: “We are honoured to announce “Milan Modern and Contemporary”, a new auction dedicated to 20th Century Italian Art. With the strategic aim to offer the finest works by leading contemporary Italian artists, “Milan Modern and Contemporary” is addressed to the national and international high-end of the market. This new dedicated auction will make its place alongside the famous and ever-growing “Italian Sale”, which has been offered every October in London for more than a decade”.

Renato Pennisi and Giulio Sangiuliano, Co-Head of the Post-War & Contemporary Art Department of Christie’s Italy: “Christie’s Italy has implemented a new, open-minded strategyTo launch “Milan Modern and Contemporary” we have carefully selected a group of works which marries the finest quality to rarity and historical value. The first half of the 20th Century is well-represented by Giorgio de Chirico’s methaphisical paintings and by Giacomo Balla’s works, which are accompanied by interesting provenance. The Post-War & Contemporary Art section will include an important group of paintings by Lucio Fontana, Alberto Castellani and Enrico Castellani, sculptures by Fausto Melotti and Ettore Colla, followed by the light-filled works by Afro and Tancredi and the experimental pieces by Alighiero Boetti”.

HIGHLIGHTS
To Mark the launch of “Milan Modern and Contemporary”, Christie’s has brought together an exceptional selection of some of the finest metaphisical paintings by Giorgio de Chirico, such as: Muse inquietanti (estimate: €400.000-600.000), Piazze d’Italia (estimate: €200.000 – 300.000), Ettore e Andromaca (estimate: €500.000-700.000). Each one of these paintings comes from a specific private collection and is beinig offered at auction for the very first time.

Equally important is a group of works by Lucio Fontana, including a strong selection of his Concetto Spaziale series (estimates range from €40.000 to €700.000) as well as a rare canvas from the artist’s Barocchi series (estimate: €500.000-700.000).

A first self-portrait by Giacomo Balla, Autoritratto, stands out amongst the many rare works offered in “Milan Modern Contemporay”. Painted circa 1894, Autoritratto comes straight from the Balla family collection and will appear for the very first time at auction.

Further highlighted in the sale is a monumental sculpture by Ettore Colla entitled Concerto, (estimate: €120.000-180.000). Realized in 1954-57, this work is considered to be one of the best and rarest creations by the artist to ever appear on the art market. In fact, this work is a part of the 90 sculptures that were produced over the course of 18 years, during which Colla worked on assemblages from recyclables materials.