World record for a cast of Canova: it was sold on Thursday 26 January for the stellar figure of 1.2 million euros. It’s about “Cupid and Psyche Standing”a sculpture by Antonio Canova (1757-1822) made under his control – second bibliography – by his most famous plaster casters (the master’s helpers were called this way) Vincenzo Malpieri and Giuseppe Torrenti. The six-figure figure will go to the privileged creditors of Veneto Banca SpA, a banking group in compulsory administrative liquidation, which had purchased the sculpture in 2004 to furnish one of its historic headquarters.

The auction

“It is Canova’s fourth most appreciated work of art of all time – he explains Matteo Smolizza, sales manager for the Bonino auction house – which surpasses many marbles. The previous record of 602,000 euros relating to plaster was more than doubled”Venus and Adonis group” by Canova, auctioned by Finarte in Milan. The sale of “Standing Cupid and Psyche” represents the fourth most important result ever for a sculpture by him. The first three are all related to marbles: Sotheby’s London 5 million in 2018, Christie’s Paris 3.7 million in 2017 and Hotel de Ventes Monte-Carlo 2 million in 2019. Even the “Dancer in Marble” was surpassed, awarded in Vienna by the Dorotheum in 2019 at 1.1 millions. We, with only the Italian result, have swept away». Yes, because in 2022 plaster was restricted as an asset of exceptional importance by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities: this means that the work could not access the world market but be limited to the Italian market.

A competition among 350 collectors

“It was the only original plaster coming from Canova’s studio (as certified by the artist’s brother, who annotated all the pieces that left Rome for the Veneto in 1829) on sale in this period, all over the world – Smolizza points out – underlining the interest shown by institutions and major collectors -. The sculpture was spatially successful – they mobilized well 350 collectorsof which over 100 have had a significant conversation with our auction house, more than 30 participated in the face-to-face auction and another 10 by telephone». Probably, if the property hadn’t been restricted and the sale had been opened, «with our potential customers, we could have reached 4 million in free sale. He certainly rewarded having given a lot of information about the work, with a very complete photographic description able to show the sculpture in every corner, illuminating even the most critical elements: this gave great security to possible buyers». In addition, «instead of keeping it with us, it was exhibited in public, informing the institutions that it was for sale. Finally, the auction house has excluded the commissions to be paid by the buyer, making the participation of institutions and private individuals equal». Good news for the lucky buyer, but certainly also for the creditors of Veneto Banca who, in this way, will recover more than they hoped.

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