22/05/2001

Twenty days ago the Carabinieri of the Command for the Protection of the Artistic Heritage of Bologna recovered 22 old master paintings and a XVIII Century altarpiece stolen from the church of Sant’Antonio in Francavilla a Mare (Chieti). The overall value was about $ 451,600 (€ 516,460), comprising of 6 paintings of the XVII-XVIII century worth $ 67,750 (€ 77,470) and 16 other paintings dated from the XVI, XVII and XVIII century, valued at about $ 361,313 (€ 413,160). The entire haul was found in the laboratory of an antique dealer in the province of Pesaro (Italy). The Customs Officers in Venice made another important recovery at the same time, sixty works of art signed by artists like Moggioli, Sironi, Schifano, Campigli, Maccari, Fragiacomo, the sale of which would have fetched roughly $ 36,130 (€ 41,320) each. Of greater concern is the possibility, still being assessed by the magistrates, that the works of great artists could in actual fact be fakes sold as authentic pieces and therefore a possible destabilising element, as a potential cause of inflation, of the market of the various artists. (Dorian Cara)