The auctions of memorable artworks often tell much more than the works themselves. Among Michelangelo, Manet, Caspar David Friedrich, and Jonathan Monk, the changes of hands become part of the history itself.
When can a commission change the fate of a work?
Among the most famous art sales is the Tondo Doni by Michelangelo Buonarroti. The work was commissioned by Agnolo Doni, a wealthy Florentine merchant, who in 1504 had married Maddalena Strozzi.
To avoid taste errors, Doni also asked Raphael for portraits of himself and his wife. Giorgio Vasari wrote that the man loved beautiful things, both ancient and modern.
Michelangelo chose a Holy Family within a tondo. Mary, rendered with unusual musculature, turns forward to take the child. Joseph supports him from behind, while the little Jesus plays with his mother’s hair.
However, in the background, groups of nudes appear among rocks, a lake, a meadow, and mountains. For this reason, the painting is often read as the beginning of Mannerism.
Once the work was finished, Michelangelo sent a messenger to deliver it and asked for 70 scudi. Doni paid only 40. The artist was irritated and refused the sum, demanding double the agreed price or the return of the painting.
In the end, Agnolo Doni agreed to pay 140 ducats and kept the work, which became an iconic image of an era.
Why did the negotiation between Manet and Ephrussi become legendary?
In contrast to that case, the sale between Edouard Manet and Charles Ephrussi was much more elegant. The artist sold A Bunch of Asparagus for 800 francs.
The painting, an oil on canvas measuring 16.5 x 21.5 centimeters, was created in 1880, three years before the artist’s death. The bunch of white asparagus with purple tips stands out against a black background.
Additionally, the vegetable is placed on a bed of intensely green chicory. The work recalls the Dutch still lifes of the 17th century, and the two golden ribbons have been interpreted by some as bridal veils.
Ephrussi, a Russian collector naturalized in France, paid 1,000 francs, not 800. Manet reacted with irony: he painted another white asparagus and sent it with a note saying: ‘One was missing from your bunch.’
Overall, the episode left one of the most famous anecdotes of the relationship between artist and collector. As Georges Bataille wrote: ‘It is not a still life like the others: it is dead, yes, but at the same time alive.’
What happened with Caspar David Friedrich and the moon over the sea?
Another story concerns Caspar David Friedrich and the painting The Moon Behind the Clouds on the Seashore. It is one of the last oil paintings by the German Romantic master.
As often happens in his works, the northern landscape has a strong symbolic value. In a letter dated November 26, 1837, Carl Gustav Carus proposed to the Dresden Gallery to purchase the painting.
Carus, a physiologist and painter, a friend of Goethe, also recalled working with Caspar on oil painting for about three years. He claimed it was the artist’s last work, executed shortly before his death.
However, the proposal was rejected. The work was later purchased by the Sächsische Kunstverein and subsequently became the property of the archaeologist Theodor Chalybäus of Dresden, thanks to a fortunate lottery.
Can a Premier League match decide a sale?
The most unexpected case involves three marble sculptures by Jonathan Monk, exhibited in Milan in a large space. The works continued the sculpture L.O.V.E. by Maurizio Cattelan.
The original work, with three severed fingers of a hand and the middle finger intact, was displayed in Piazza Affari, in front of the Stock Exchange Building. The meaning of the gesture remained ambiguous: an offensive act towards finance or a greeting to investors?
To resolve the doubt, Monk created a continuation with the pinky, ring, and index fingers. He used the same marble, the same dimensions, and the same type of cut, suggesting a direct connection to Cattelan’s sculpture.
That said, the buyer offered less than the asking price. Jonathan received the proposal and, though not very convinced, replied that Arsenal-Leicester would be played that day. He accepted the deal only if Arsenal won against all odds.
Jamie Vardy, returning from an injury and just entering the field, scored ten minutes before the end. Leicester City won, and the negotiation concluded with enthusiasm and surprise.
Overall, these stories show that sales can become an integral part of the value of a work. Between price, fate, and irony, the art market often retains episodes more memorable than individual economic transactions.
IMAGE: Edouard Manet, The Asparagus, 1880, oil on canvas, 16.9×21.9 cm
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
