Bertinotti's Art Collection Sells Out at Auction

The red flags have given way to re-bids of thousands of euros. At the Milanese headquarters of the auction house Finarte, the private collection of Fausto Bertinotti, former president of the Chamber of Deputies and former leader of the Communist Refoundation Party, was the protagonist of a highly successful sale, with 21 lots sold out of 24 for a total proceeds of over 300,000 euros, four times the initial estimates, as Finarte announced in a press release. Leading the auction were two 1972 serigraphs signed by Andy Warhol depicting Mao Tse Tung, donated to the couple by former banker Mario D'Urso: starting from an estimate of between 20,000 and 30,000 euros, they were awarded for 106,000 and 80,000 euros respectively, after a thrilling battle between the auction room, telephones and online platforms.

It is likely that the charm of the "never-repentant communist couple" had an impact on the value of the works awarded. Leading the auction battle was Georgia Bava, head of the Modern and Contemporary Art department at Finarte, who was able to elegantly manage the lively alternation of offers.

The catalogue offered more than a taste of the refined artistic sensibility of the Bertinottis, who over the years have collected heterogeneous works, often received as gifts or chosen for personal anniversaries. Among the pieces sold, two works by Piero Dorazio for 7,000 euros: one, a gift for 32 years of marriage; the other, accompanied by an affectionate dedication: "Best wishes for Lella Bertinotti, graceful pillar of her companion, guardian and promoter of our hopes".

Other lots included a bronze horse by Mario Ceroli that sold for €2,800, a vase by Luca Maria Patella for €2,000, and a 1981 canvas by Mario Schifano, which sold for €15,000. Titina Maselli's "Camion" (1976) also attracted bids, selling for €9,000.

Other lots include the canvas "Camion" by Titina Maselli, sister of director Citto Maselli and a leading figure in post-war painting, sold for 11,500 euros, and the sculpture "La gabbia d'oro" by Giosetta Fioroni, sold for 16,500 euros. According to Adnkronos, the Bertinottis will not receive the full sum, but approximately 250,000 euros, because a percentage of the proceeds will go to Finarte and another to the intermediary delegated by the couple.

Alongside the Bertinotti collection, the auction - curated by Finarte - reserved another surprise with "I bagni misteriosi", an oil on canvas from 1935 signed Giorgio de Chirico, formerly owned by the actress Monica Vitti: the work was sold for 468,000 euros, marking one of the highest results ever achieved in Italy for the master of metaphysics.

The Finarte auction also attracted great interest from post-war artists such as Alberto Burri (Combustione, 1968, sold for 103,500 euros), Osvaldo Licini (Ritmo su fondo bianco, 1953, for 48,000 euros) and Wifredo Lam (Senza titolo, 1972, for 51,000 euros), confirming the consolidated interest in twentieth-century art.

"The success of the Bertinotti collection and de Chirico's 'Mysterious Baths' will remain etched in our memory for a long time", commented Georgia Bava. Alessandro Cuomo of Finarte underlined how "in a semester marked by geopolitical instability, contemporary art confirms itself as a safe haven and an alternative form of investment". Finarte announced that the auction of the Modern and Contemporary Art catalogue registered over 1,000 participants from all over the world, totalling an overall result of approximately 2.2 million euros.

(by Paolo Martini)