Capolavori in fuga. Gli affari dell’antiquario milanese Giuseppe Baslini a Londra, Berlino e Parigi
Martina Colombi
Regarded as the most important art dealer active in Milan in the second half of the 19th century, Giuseppe Baslini (1817-1887) was a true self-made man: thanks to his exceptional connoisseurship and his unscrupulous business flair, he transformed and expanded his profession, becoming a leading figure not only in Lombardy and Italy, but all over Europe. This paper intends to highlight Baslini’s international connections, which followed three main routes: London, Berlin and Paris. The sale of paintings organised by Baslini at the Hôtel Drouot in Paris in 1868 is of particular interest: the analysis of the descriptions provided by the auction catalogue has in fact revealed the provenance of around ten lots, whose collecting history has been partially clarified.