Collecting

Precious custodians of long-lost secrets

Decorated with historical figures in pastiglia, these boxes originated within the culture of the Renaissance courts and learned environments of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and feature themes centred on Heroism and Love, classical mythology and a particular form of Eroticism.

An indestructible longing for the marvellous
This book is a series of meetings told in the manner of an autobiography but also a critical reading of art. There are numerous revelations about the hidden workings of the art world, about gallery life and about continual discoveries.

A family chronicle in two registers against the background of the art of the 20th century. The voice of the female protagonist tells of events in a context dominated by men and astonished by the sudden irruption of an exceptional, uninhibited woman, capable of radical choices both in her personal...

Maiolica in the pure Louis XIV style

The decorative arts, including the elegant maiolica produced at the end of the 17th century in the workshop of Carlo Antonio Grue, responded sensitively to the dynamics of contemporary events and fine art.

The precious bottles of precious perfumes In the 1700s, when Meissen porcelain was at its height of refinement and fame, ceramic perfume bottles became part of the private wardrobe, just like pocket watches, walking stick knobs and snuff boxes: collectable objects for the educated and discriminating.

A century of our history through the photographic masterpieces gathered by a great collector

One of the most important collections of Italian post-war photography in the world. The volume is introduced by a long conversation between the collector and Walter Guadagnini.

The astonishing, legendary collection of Federico Cerruti

The Cerruti Collection is a prestigious private collection consisting of approximately three hundred sculptures and paintings from the Middle Ages to today. It includes ancient books, bindings, icons painted on a gold background, and more than three hundred pieces of furniture and fittings, such as carpets and writing desks by renowned cabinetmakers.

The extraordinary collection of one of the most elegant couples of the 20th century

The vision of two collectors who dared to dream has become a place of knowledge, education and awareness of what art means for a people.

The Great Gualino

Captain of industry, financier and fabulous art collector, Riccardo Gualino was the shining star of Italian history and economy in the 20th century. This volume tells the story of the long, adventurous life (1879-1964) of a man of extraordinary energy, who directed it towards countless passions, activities and initiative.

The private collection of one of the most important gallery owners of the century

Gonzalez Palacios calls him “the example and prototype of the European who was able, unlike the majority of New Yorkers of the time, to keep an eye on both sides of the Atlantic”: Gian Enzo Sperone has been a leading player in international art from the second half of the 20th century until today.

Ceramics and porcelain of China and Southeast AsiaAs the companion to the catalogue dedicated to Islamic ceramics, this second volume describes the collection of East Asian ceramics acquired over fifty years by Luigi Anton and Nera Laura. It includes Chinese ceramics and porcelain of the Song and...

Ceramics and porcelain of China and Southeast Asia

As the companion to the catalogue dedicated to Islamic ceramics, this second volume describes the collection of East Asian ceramics acquired over fifty years by Luigi Anton and Nera Laura.

Masterworks of Castelli maiolica from the 16th century to the third fire

The town of Castelli in the Gran Sasso National Park was one of the most important centres of ceramic production thanks to a special type of clay that was particularly suitable for maiolica, and to a Benedictine monastery that introduced the pottery-making techniques.

A rare collection of Islamic ceramics

The collection of Islamic ceramics stands out among the more than four thousand decorative art objects on display at Villa San Luca in Ospedaletti (Imperia) and collected by Luigi Anton Laura (1922-2007) and his wife Nera.