Inside Christie's: Young Employees on Their Careers
Christie's is investing in young talent, as demonstrated by two employees: Veronica Scarpati, an Italian auctioneer in London, and Elena Zaccarelli, a Senior Specialist in Milan. Scarpati, who trained for months before her first auction, emphasizes the supportive environment and the importance of practice, including using a secret box to raise the auctioneer's voice. She also discusses the iconic gavels made by a single artisan in Norfolk, with personalized options like her own from Argentina. Zaccarelli, who joined 13 years ago after studying medieval and modern art history, transitioned to contemporary art due to limited opportunities in Renaissance art. She now focuses on Italian art, curating online auctions on May 17 and 24, and stresses the importance of listening to clients. A memorable find was a Fontana painting worth €300,000 discovered during a house visit for a mediocre work valued at €30,000.
Key facts
- Veronica Scarpati is an auctioneer in Christie's Modern Art Department based in London.
- Scarpati trained for months before her first auction, which occurred just before the pandemic.
- She practices with colleagues in empty rooms, filming themselves to avoid verbal and physical tics.
- Christie's gavels are made by a single artisan in Norfolk, and auctioneers receive their official gavel after their third auction.
- Scarpati has a personalized gavel made from wood from Argentina, where her mother is from.
- Elena Zaccarelli is a Senior Specialist in Modern and Contemporary Art in Milan and head of sales for 20th/21st century art.
- Zaccarelli joined Christie's 13 years ago after a gallery job in Florence and an internship at Christie's.
- She discovered a Fontana painting worth €300,000 during a house visit for a mediocre work valued at €30,000.
- Zaccarelli curates online auctions on May 17 and 24, open until end of May and mid-June respectively.
- She teaches at university and recommends psychology as the best degree for her job.
Entities
Artists
- Veronica Scarpati
- Elena Zaccarelli
- Caravaggio
- Fontana
Institutions
- Christie's
- Christie's Italia
- Palazzo Clerici
- Modern Art Department
- Dipartimento di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Milano
Locations
- Londra
- Inghilterra
- Italia
- Milano
- Norfolk
- Argentina
- Firenze
- Bologna