Berlusconi's Art Collection
October 20 2023
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Guardian have published an incredibly curious story on the fate of the former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi's art collection. The collection of artworks, which is said to number 25,000 works and cost the former PM €20m, is said to be 'worthless'.
To quote the article:
Vittorio Sgarbi, an undersecretary at the culture ministry, art critic and close friend of Berlusconi, said the compulsion for buying art sold through TV auctions began in earnest in 2018 as a result of “sleepless nights”.
He told Report, the investigative series broadcast on Rai, that Berlusconi spent an estimated €20m on what Sgarbi described as a collection of “daubs”, and the focus appeared to be on quantity rather than quality.
...
The family is believed to be considering turning Villa San Martino, where Berlusconi hosted business and political meetings as well as some of his famous “bunga bunga” parties, into a museum.
Looking at the press image supplied, it is quite clear that these are mostly very late copies of famous Italian Old Master paintings. It is a mystery to me how they might have totted up to €20m. Very odd.
