by Antonio Gesino
Sales in 2016 achieved the best results ever for Wannenes with a 35% increase compared to the previous year as well as a significant increase in the percentage of lots sold (+68.9%) and in terms of value (+130.9%).
The Old Master Paintings Department achieved excellent results in 2016 with an increase of 85% compared to 2015 with 73.4% of lots sold and 128.3% of lots sold in terms of value reaching an overall total of 5,108,304 euro. Among the most important results was the 806,000 euro hammer price achieved by Neri di Bicci’s depiction of Tobias and St Raphael Archangel and Saints, a world record for this highly elegant Renaissance artist. A View of Venice with the Basin of St Mark’s from the Church of Santa Maria della Salute, by a Venetian painter who was active in the Eighteenth century – one of Canaletto’s favourite subjects – was sold for 173,600 euro and a glowing painting by Andrea Locatelli depicting The View of the Tiber and Castel Sant’Angelo achieved a 148,800 euro hammer price.