Tintoretto's "Madonna Curtis" Sells for €375,150 at Wannenes, Setting Italian Auction Record
On September 29, the Wannenes auction house set a remarkable benchmark in the Old Master market with the auction of the Curtis Collection from Palazzo Barbaro in Venice. The centerpiece was the "Madonna Curtis" (lot 41), a depiction of Madonna and Child dating back to approximately 1538, attributed to Jacopo Robusti, or Tintoretto. It achieved a sale price of €375,150, making it the highest amount ever paid for a Tintoretto at an Italian auction and ranking eighth among his top auction prices globally. Additionally, Antonio Mancini's Ofelia (studio) from 1892 (lot 30) sold for €47,650. Experts Antonio Gesino and Rosanna Nobilitato expressed their contentment with the results, highlighting the significance of quality and provenance for collectors.
Key facts
- The "Madonna Curtis" by Tintoretto sold for €375,150 at Wannenes on 29 September
- The painting, lot 41, depicts the Madonna and Child and dates to around 1538
- It ranks eighth among the highest auction prices ever recorded worldwide for Tintoretto
- It is the highest price ever achieved by a Tintoretto work in an Italian auction
- The sale succeeded despite the work being a notified work (opera notificata) limiting international circulation
- The lots came from the Curtis Collection of Palazzo Barbaro in Venice
- Antonio Mancini's Ofelia (studio) from 1892, lot 30, sold for €47,650
- The Mancini was exhibited at the first Venice Biennale in 1895 and belonged to the collection from the outset
- Wannenes was founded in 2001 and has offices in Milan, Genoa, Rome, Turin and Monte Carlo
Entities
Artists
- Jacopo Robusti
- Tintoretto
- Antonio Mancini
- Antonio Gesino
- Rosanna Nobilitato
- Daniel Sargent Curtis
- Ariana Wormeley Curtis
- Marcantonio Barbaro
Institutions
- Wannenes
- Collezione Curtis
- Palazzo Barbaro
- Venice Biennale
- Collezione da Tiffany
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Milan
- Genoa
- Rome
- Turin
- Monte Carlo
- Monaco
- Boston
- United States