..... In the case of Modigliani, there are no less than five catalogues out there – one by Joseph Lanthemann, which “includes numerous questionable works”, according to Sotheby’s specialist, John Tancock. Compiling these catalogues confers huge powers. As well as selling the certificates, some authors have been rumoured to say, “You want your artwork in the catalogue? Then sell it to me.” And if you don’t play ball, well, your work won’t be included, and will drop drastically in value.
By Georgina Adam, Published: October 11 2008 in FT.com see Link >>
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I´m working on the matter, soon it will be all in this page, until then here is a little part:
You can check the complete ceroni here and discover how many gaps and errors it have.
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Brief resume:
|
Dates Publishing |
Paintings |
Drawings |
Sculpture |
|
1958-1970 |
337 |
- |
- |
|
1970- |
420 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Actual: |
|
1991 - |
349 |
|
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|
|
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-probably never- |
400? |
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Ambrogio Ceroni:
You can check the complete ceroni here and discover how many gaps and errors it have.
WORKS ACCEPTED: 337 PAINTINGS
There is a Modigliani bible in the art market: the "Amedeo Modigliani, Peintre" written by Ambrogio Ceroni.
This book was first published in 1958, revisions published in 1970 and 1972, Ceroni died in 1970.
The 337 paintings listed in his books always have extraordinary records in the art market.
Ceroni only authenticated paintings he had personally seen (or at least that is what he said).
He never travelled outside Europe (so many works collected by US or Latin America collections are not included in his book).
Almost the 54% of the works by Modigliani (or attrib to him) are in US collections or Museums.
Ceroni was a banker, an appraiser, but never an art historian.
His background does not stand comparison with today's so called catalogue raisonne's high academic standard.
His source was only from the collectors during that time, it is not possible to trace back to the artist's atelier or the backgrounds of the early dealers.
For example, Modigliani's first broker, Paul Guillaume had a tremendous collection of Modigliani's documents, but had never gone public for a long time until 1993. It is thus evident that the art market needs more professional authentication to supplement Ceroni's work.
Although Ceroni's book can't provide comprehensive information about Modigliani, it remains to be an important reference to most premium art dealers.
He is the only one fully accepted by Sotheby's & Chrisites...
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Joseph Lanthemann:
WORKS ACCEPTED: 380 PAINTINGS (in his 1970 volume, later it included 40 more)
He published his first catalogue on Modigliani in 1970, it was more on the line of a modern catalogue, later he started a collaboration with Christian Parisot.
He also collaborated in the Kisling and Soutine catalogues and had a close relation to the Archives legales, Jeanne Modigliani and Ch. Parisot.
His source was dealers, collectors, files and more.
In his catalogue he accepts
some mediumic skills by Jeanne Modigliani so his relevance drop to the floor and actually it is just one more work and the majors do not rely on his opinion.
Although his 1970 book can provide comprehensive information about Modigliani, it is not considered as a fully trustable expert.
Sotheby's & Chrisites thinks that is just a second dish and if the work is not also listed in Ceroni, it will never be in one if their auctions...
His word has been mixed with actual expert Parisot by the junction of his files with the ones of the archives legales by his son or niece.
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