Giovanna Bertazzoni on the Emotional Journey of Masterpieces at Christie's

Giovanna Bertazzoni, Deputy Chairman and International Director of Christie's in London, describes the emotional journey of masterpieces through the art market. Born in Pavia, Italy, she studied art history at the University of Pavia and specialized at the École Nationale du Patrimoine in Paris before joining Christie's in 1998. She recounts iconic sales: Picasso's 'Les Femmes d'Alger' in New York, Modigliani's 'Nu Couché' for over $170 million in 2015, and Klimt's 'Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I' (Woman in Gold) restituted to Maria Altmann and sold to Ronald Lauder for the Neue Galerie. Bertazzoni emphasizes the blend of poetry and prosaic business, the secret database of 1,700 works valued over $10 million each, and the influence of Asian buyers on the Impressionist and modern art market. She recalls the record-breaking Yves Saint Laurent collection auction in Paris in 2009 and a private sale of Cézanne's 'The Card Players' for $250 million in Qatar. The interview highlights the trust-based relationships with collectors and the emotional difficulty of parting with artworks.