21/12/2001

Almost quintuplicating his initial estimate, Maurizio Cattelan was the undisputed star of the Young Art sale offered at Finarte, Milan on the 19th of December at the Cartiere Vannucci. After some animated bidding, his 1991 pen on paper work entitled The class struggle sold for L. 9.6 million (€ 4,960, $ 4,450) against an estimate of L. 2-3 million (€ 1,000-1,500, $ 930-1,400). The auction raised a total of over 250 million lire (€ 129,100, $ 115,800). Top lot was the oil on canvas Riflessi by the Milanese painter Alessandro Papetti, hammered at L. 15.3 million (€ 7,900, $ 7,100; estimate: L. 14-15 million, € 7.000-7.500, $ 7.230-6.980). Yet, surprisingly, a 1993 watercolour on cardboard by Vanessa Beecroft (estimate: L. 9-11 million, € 4,500-5,500, $ 4,190-5,120) was withdrawn by its owner. (Elena Balzani)