In 2015, fairs and appointments not only for contemporary art are re-proposed, such as Arte Fiera Bologna which has just ended or MIART next spring, but also those events linked to the ancient world continue to "live". Certainly there are much fewer appointments dedicated to antiques, but those that remain, which select exhibitors and the public, still offer opportunities to discover a sector that in some ways suffers from a real market.
The next fair will be held in the coming weeks is Modenaantiquaria, which occurs from 14 22 to February such as the XXIX Antiques Exhibition. About 90 exhibitors with names already present for decades if not generations in this sector.
One wonders who at this moment (in Italy) is buying ancient art, given that not only does it appear increasingly niche but in some ways also far from what are the real needs of society (our article of October 11, 2014).
So we wanted to go and ask a protagonist who has been operating in this market for 30 years, his point of view, what is really happening and what the tastes of the new generations may be and we are talking about those to become obviously.
Attilio Cecchetto (in the photo with his wife and company partner, Cristina Prior), you were born among antique furniture, then followed professionally by his wife Cristina, but what was the world of antiques really like 20/30 years ago? What had convinced her to join this particular world?
I started my work when the concept of ancient art had a social meaning, owning an antique was synonymous with sensitivity. It meant having a certain attention for beautiful and culturally interesting things; those who bought ancient art in the XNUMXs would have seen further, as it later proved. Then came the nineties, those of economic consolidation and a new category of rich people, thus contributing to an increase in turnover and raising prices, making everything a matter of business and investment. That investment which then failed because prices had risen excessively, to the detriment of a certain quality. In fact, now the prices of ancient art in general are lower with the exception of some very high quality pieces.
What's happening today? who are the buyers or collectors of ancient art in Italy?
My job, like that of many colleagues who operate mainly in Italy, has become much more difficult precisely because many buyers with little sensitivity and culture have been somewhat disappointed by the market who considered it only an investment. In fact, the most delicate and difficult part now is to convince these people to go further, and think about the pure quality and rarity of the piece, in order to be able to enjoy it to the fullest and in the most logical and sensitive way from an artistic point of view. In fact, this is the only type of clientele that today finds satisfaction in the market which today is very convenient.
Can you see anything new or changing for years to come?
The world of ancient art is very complex, it is necessary to be culturally prepared and to be able to have the economic means at one's disposal; therefore we must take into consideration two generations that have been favored in this: the current fifty-year-olds and the previous generation; young people are disadvantaged in this, and I don't feel like saying that the new generation doesn't respond to the taste and culture of ancient art, taking into consideration the critical moment we are experiencing and all the difficulties that this entails. In the end, it is more than a "non-answer" a lack of means.
How do young people approach ancient art?
For young people it's just a matter of time and not of taste, as many think. Unfortunately, today at forty a person is still young and has not yet achieved a certain economic security, he is working to conquer it, he has only momentarily set aside his taste and sensitivity, prerogatives these are decisive for approaching the world of ancient art.
But we know well that ancient art is no longer a "social status" according to what are the reasons for this loss of meaning?
This drop in interest is basically due to three factors: first of all the economic crisis factor, it should be borne in mind that a crisis like this had not occurred since the post-war period. The second factor, and no less important, is the "generational change" which is slow to take place for the reasons described above. The third factor is the problem of traceability, because unfortunately Italians are generally wary and don't want to be checked, despite everything being legal and lawful. Abroad, the so-called Italian works of "international interest" are sold with a certain ease and maintain much higher prices than in Italy. However, the problem of the free circulation of works remains, in fact for us Italian merchants it is a major limitation, works of art are not free to leave Italy to other countries, including European ones; they can only enter freely, but otherwise there is a need for a free movement document which is not a given to obtain.
What are you asking of the future?
Above all, we expect that this law of free circulation will change, or rather that it will disappear and that the general economic situation will naturally improve. If people are happier they are probably also more sensitive to ancient art.
His advice to those who want to approach this sector…
This would be the right time to invest in ancient art as prices are more accessible than before. They will probably remain so for a while yet, but then it will change and whoever has taken advantage of it will surely be rewarded, this also happened in the early seventies, then we all saw how it turned out. The advice I can give is to aim high, one important piece is better than three of medium quality, and in any case the purchase must take place from established operators..... the deal is never around the corner.
