|
On 25th June, the Galleria Pananti, with three auction sessions, is concluding its first season before the summer break with a sale mainly oriented on works by 19th-20th century and contemporary Italian artists. The auction, featuring almost 700 lots, is opening with a session completely dedicated to works of graphics, oil paintings and watercolours by 20th-century Italian artists proposed with free opening bids; therefore, it will be an excellent chance to find interesting paintings to buy and make excellent deals. The Florentine auction house, in order to incentivise sales in a difficult period, has agreed with the lenders to re-propose works by famous 20th-century artists at prices reduced by 30%. It is the case, for instance, of the oil on canvas by Franco Gentilini, entitled “The cathedral of Foligno, 1968″, proposed to the public with an estimate of 15-18 thousand euros and which instead has a market value of 25-35 thousand euros. But even the work “Conversation (Woman in pink)” executed in 1956 by Ottone Rosai is estimated at 16-18 thousand euros.
Among the most significant and prestigious works to be auctioned off there is “Natura Morta” (Still Life) by Giorgio De Chirico, artist who has been very popular at this year’s auctions. A beautiful oil on cardboard executed by the master of Metaphysics painting from 1948, put up for auction for an estimate of 60-80 thousand euros.
On the occasion of the centenary of Futurism, there had to be an important Roman collection of works by Giacomo Balla at Pananti’s sale. It is the founder of this Italian avant-garde who signs himself as Futurist Abstractionist together with his friend-pupil Fortunato Depero at the end of the manifesto Futurist Reconstruction of the Universe: “We want to realise this total fusion to rebuild the universe enlivening it, that is recreating it integrally” Balla underwrote in 1915. Three years later, the artist published a cheerful futurist manifesto dedicated to colour, where we can read: “in the tangle of avant-garde trends, whether they are semi-futurist or futurist, it is colour that dominates”.
Once the war had ended, since May 1919 it has been possible to visit Balla’s futurist house; in the wake of the desire to embellish the useful, to rebuild the colourful and bright universe, starting from his house Balla projected and realised futurist furnishings, he designed projects for embroideries which his daughter realised on canvas for the noblewomen who used to go Balla’s house during the Twenties.
Pananti is auctioning also “Motivo geometrico” (Geometrical Motif), an oil on panel estimated at 15-16 thousand euros; “Motivo per schienale di sedia per la Princessa di Bassiano” (Motif for chair backrest for the Princess of Bassiano) estimated at 16-17 thousand euros; “Motivo compenetrato per ricamo” (Permeated motif for embroidery), a tempera on patinated charcoal, valued at 14-15 thousand euros. Dating from 1919 is the postcard sent to his friend Battistelli on which the artist painted “Linee forze di mare” (Sea strength lines), a tempera on charcoal which bears on the back a sentence written in pen by the artist himself: “Dear Battistella, thanks for your news. We are always at work with vibrant novelties. SaluBalla”. The work, which comes from a private collection, will be proposed with an estimate of 10-15 thousand euros.
Other marvellous works from the Italian 20th century featured at Pananti are two works by Carlo Mattioli: “Spiaggia a Fiumetto” (Comic Beach) realised in 1972 (estimate 25-30 thousand euros) and “Paesaggio d’Estate in Versilia” (Summer landscape in Versilia), an oil on canvas from 1974-75, estimated at 35-45 thousand euros. There is also the décollage by Mimmo Rotella dedicated to the famous film “Raging Bull”, valued at 20-25 thousand euros, and “Figura in rosso” (Figure in red) by Bruno Cassinari, an oil on canvas from 1965, put up for auction for 16-18 thousand euros.
The collection of antique 16th and 17th century drawings is quite important too, comprising works by the Bolognese, Florentine and Roman School. For completeness and stylistic quality it is worth mentioning a pencil and ink on paper entitled “Banchetto” (Banquet), attributed to Ventura Salimbeni (estimate 2,500-3,500 euros); an ink on paper attributed to Perin del Vaga Cerere (estimate 3-4 thousand euros) and a Study of kneeling figure from the Florentine School, dating from the 17th century, valued at an estimate between 4 and 5 thousand euros.
|
Loading ...