The Diocesan Museum of Milan was formally founded in 1960 (but it has been operational only since 2001) as a manifestation of the Ambrosian diocese, reflecting the orientation of the latter for art and its ecclesial identity. The main task of this institution has always been to preserve and promote the diocese’s artistic heritage, valorizing its historical and religious meaning. The marvelous venue at the Sant’Eustorgio Cloisters gathers about 600 works, which mainly come from the archiepiscopal collection of paintings and from the Diocese.

In the last few weeks, London city has proved to be the European capital of the art market. With sales dedicated to the modern and impressionist sector, Sotheby’s and Christie’s have confirmed the good state of the market. Indeed, the “Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale” held on 24th June fetched 144 million pounds (284 million dollars), achieving the highest total for a European auction and giving “Le bassin aux nymphèas” by Claude Monet the new world record for the artist, selling the piece for 41 million pounds.

A 1975 set of three self-portraits by Francis Bacon fetched 17.3 million pounds ($34.5 million) in London, the most expensive lot at Christie’s International sale of contemporary art.
At least four bidders competed for the 14-inch-high, gray- hued oil canvases “Three Studies for Self-Portrait”, featuring faces that are twisted, sliced and gorged. The lot, with a presale estimate of more than 10 million pounds and seen in public for the first time, went to an anonymous phone bidder. The record for Bacon was set in May when “Triptych, 1976″, depicting a headless corpse eaten by vultures sold for $86 million.
Christie’s 58-lot auction last night netted 86.2 million pounds, against the company’s own low estimate of 80 million pounds. Eighty-three percent of the lots were sold. Bacon’s piece was one of four trophy works - the other three are by Lucian Freud, Jeff Koons and Lucio Fontana - whose combined estimates represented half the auction’s value. The Bacon was the only one that sold for much more than its top estimate.
Koons’s 11-foot, 2-inch-high chromium-steel sculpture “Balloon Flower (Magenta)” sold for an artist record of 12.9 million pounds, against a presale estimate of 12 million pounds. Freud’s 1980 canvas, “Naked Portrait With Reflection”, showing a nude model reclining on a battered sofa, sold for 11.8 million pounds, compared with a top estimate 15 million pounds. (Bloomberg)

Here you are the most interesing prices of last days.

translated by Giorgina Arcuri

On 27th May, Sotheby’s Milan housed “Modern and Contemporary Art”, a very interesting auction that totalled 12,368,680 euros. Of the 345 lots presented to the public in the saleroom, during the three rounds, the works of some great artists stood out, pieces that have marked the evolution of the history of Italian art, such as “Achrome” by Piero Manzoni (estimate 500-700 thousand euros, sold for 800 thousand euros, rights excluded) or a beautiful painting executed by Giuseppe Santomaso in 1959, which from a pre-sale estimate included between 120 and 180 thousand euros, achieved 110,000 euros (rights excluded), while another work from 1978, valued at 120-180 thousand euros, sold for 210,000 (rights excluded).

translated by Giorgina Arcuri

translated by Giorgina Arcuri

Article translated by Amritee Mahabir

The city of Milan is searching to grow in some way. After the notice of the EXPO anticipated for 2015 in the field of art, we see that the Lombard base is looking to keep in step with the other leading capital in the artistic sector.