“I don’t know if the destruction of those paintings has already started,” Sgarbi was cited by the newspaper as saying. “I do know that, at least on an artistic level, it wouldn’t be a crime.” - ThreadSky

alexvont.bsky.social • 501 days ago

“I don’t know if the destruction of those paintings has already started,” Sgarbi was cited by the newspaper as saying. “I do know that, at least on an artistic level, it wouldn’t be a crime.”

Reposted from Pete Fraser

This is fascinating - apparently Silvio Berlusconi spent €20m on cheapo landscape paintings from the shopping channel - thousands of them - and now his estate are paying €800k a year to warehouse them and don’t know what to do about it.

www.theguardian.com/world/2023/o...

Comments

debbiemoon.bsky.social•501 days ago

Do they... not have charity shops in Italy?

alexvont.bsky.social•501 days ago

If it’s a whole warehouse full of $20million of crap paintings that sell for around $150 each… that’s perhaps 133,333 paintings, and genuinely I don’t know if there would be enough charity shops prepared to give them wall space

debbiemoon.bsky.social•501 days ago

Actually, that IS a lot of paintings. Good point!

stephengallagher.co.uk•501 days ago

I'd stick 'em on ebay, 50 euros plus shipping gets you a random piece of Berlusconi-owned kitsch for a conversation piece. No choosing, no returns. I wouldn't, but I'm sure many would...

clareclarke.bsky.social•501 days ago

The whole story is just sublime

sandehalynch.com•501 days ago

I misread that as a whole 'whorehouse' full, which, under the circumstances, and given the proprietor, and, well, you know.

simonrjohnson.bsky.social•501 days ago

Yeah its 25,000 paintings according to the BBC

debbiemoon.bsky.social•501 days ago

Yikes

alexvont.bsky.social•501 days ago

Ah thank you! Still a LOT

simonrjohnson.bsky.social•501 days ago

Yes your point still holds !

molynj.bsky.social•501 days ago

Makes you wonder where on earth they've been hung, or stored while he was still alive. I suppose he had many residences.

briw74.bsky.social•501 days ago

Charity shops in Blackheath would poo-poo you if you took any to them.

eschatonblog.com•501 days ago

this is sad common dementia behavior

alexvont.bsky.social•501 days ago

Certain medications for neurodegenerative conditions make obsessive/compulsive behaviour more likely too. I’m interested in the story as a historian who works a bit on the meaning and value of art.

eschatonblog.com•501 days ago

sorry wasn't trying to AKSHUALLY your expertise. My grandma (anecdote) bought a lot of collectibles late in life preinternet, it must be a huge problem with the click click ease

unicorntickles.bsky.social•501 days ago

My grandma did too and thank god she didn’t know how to use the internet in any real capacity.

She lost a lot of money from mail and telephone scammers tho…like $50k… we were all livid.

alexvont.bsky.social•501 days ago

Oh yes, I think it really is. And I have a lot of sympathy for anyone dealing with that kind of behaviour change with a family member - it can be a real nightmare, especially if they’re spending money they need or don’t have. (Not, to be fair, the case in this instance.)

molynj.bsky.social•501 days ago

I have a friend who's father went round buying garden machinery at boot fairs. He had a number of large (formerly agricultural) sheds in his garden. When he died they were all full, floor to ceiling with mowers, chain saw, portable generators, hedge trimmers. Dozens and dozens.
Maybe this is similar

jennymckinnon.bsky.social•501 days ago

open The Berlusconi Memorial Art Gallery, and out them on display

florilegia.bsky.social•501 days ago

"Berlusconi’s warehouse is understood to contain a number of paintings of nude women, although it is unclear where they were sourced." Very much the least surprising thing in this story

warrenterra.bsky.social•501 days ago

The article says that woodworm has already destroyed a number of them. Hopefully that doesn't include the few masterpieces he'd acquired, in addition to the dreck.

robbysimpson.bsky.social•501 days ago

from the fucking top rope, Jesus Christ

magstheobscure.bsky.social•501 days ago

I want to see the collections of crap paintings. Somebody bring them on tour.

alexvont.bsky.social•501 days ago

It would need an aircraft carrier

magstheobscure.bsky.social•501 days ago

Great that way they can float them around the world for everyone to see

rkemb.bsky.social•501 days ago

Send them in packages with no return address to every museum in the world. Everyone can have a Berlusconi experience!

aidanmcglynn.bsky.social•501 days ago

reaky.bsky.social•501 days ago

A running certainty that The Madonna with the Big Boobies is in his collection.

alexvont.bsky.social•501 days ago

How did I miss this earlier? Lol I bet it’s 90% the Madonna with the Big Boobies

gcu-grey-area.bsky.social•501 days ago

I bet though that he didn’t buy the real Van Klomp, inside the forged knockwurst, but the forged Madonna, inside the real knockwurst?

rkemb.bsky.social•501 days ago

Oh no.
https://bsky.app/profile/truckchris.bsky.social/post/3k3jrafylip2w

alexvont.bsky.social•501 days ago

YES HER

reaky.bsky.social•501 days ago

“I find the big boobies tremendously… moving.”

rkemb.bsky.social•501 days ago

"The left... represents the world, and the right... represents the cosmos... and I see myself in the gap... between the world and the cosmos."

missarbre.bsky.social•501 days ago

Haha. No, the actual Fallen Madonna with the big boobies did sell in 2018 (but to a guy in France not an old fella in Italy)

rkemb.bsky.social•501 days ago

oh wow

deliciouslegacy.bsky.social•501 days ago

Ahahahaha

arielaalgaze.bsky.social•501 days ago

Sgarbi is always a savage!

lairddinnaken.bsky.social•501 days ago

This is the most Berlusconi moment in a cesspool of Berlusconi moments 🙄

ianbetteridge.com•501 days ago

The vision of Berlusconi sitting watching shopping channels (probably in his pants) buying terrible paintings is one which will haunt me for a long, long time.