Gianni Agnelli: Art Beyond FIAT

Who was Gianni Agnelli?

Giovanni Agnelli, commonly referred to as Gianni, born on March 12, 1921, in Turin, Italy, and passing away on January 24, 2003, in the same city, was a prominent Italian figure who held roles as both a business magnate and a political leader. He played a pivotal role as the principal shareholder and top executive of FIAT, served as a senator for life, and held a rank as an officer in the Royal Italian Army. He earned the nickname "l'Avvocato" (the Lawyer) due to his law degree, although he never pursued the legal profession formally, so the title was honorary rather than official.

Gianni Agnelli: Art Beyond FIAT

Gianni Agnelli, a man of refined taste and a fervent art lover, shared his deep passion for the arts with his wife Marella, amassing a diverse collection of artworks over the years to adorn their private residences. His discerning eye was finely tuned through regular visits to art galleries and museums.

Beyond being an avid collector, Gianni Agnelli played pivotal roles in the art world as a promoter, advocate, and active member of prestigious artistic institutions. In addition to his well-known association with Venice's "Palazzo Grassi," he held positions on the governing boards of renowned institutions such as the "Louvre" in Paris and the "MoMA" in New York, among others. He also became a patron in his own right and even served as a subject of artistic expression, maintaining a dynamic and continuous connection with the cultural zeitgeist of his era.

Reflecting on his passion for art and architecture, he once remarked, "Perhaps architecture is the art I prefer; it encapsulates the entirety of life, embodying the perfect synthesis of aesthetics and existence, while also embracing the inherent contradictions of both."

As a collector, Gianni Agnelli transcended the conventional norms of the art market. His acquisitions were not driven by financial motives but rather by a desire to satisfy his profound aesthetic sensibilities. His approach was marked by genuine and authentic sentiment, aligning him with the esteemed art patrons of history. To him, collecting art was an integral element in the cultivation of a genuine gentleman, where the pursuit of beauty held a place of utmost importance.

The Giovanni and Marella Agnelli Art Gallery

The Agnelli Gallery ("pinacoteca" in italian), officially known as the Giovanni and Marella Agnelli Gallery, is an art museum nestled in Turin. Its grand inauguration took place in 2002, and it found its home on the uppermost level of the Lingotto building. This exquisite gallery serves as a sanctuary for a carefully curated selection of artworks drawn from the personal collection of Gianni and Marella Agnelli.

The heart of this collection resides within a remarkable architectural gem known as the "Scrigno." This steel structure spans 450 square meters and gracefully rises 34 meters above the testing track atop the factory's roof. The brilliant mind behind this design is the esteemed architect Renzo Piano. Symbolically resembling a crystalline spacecraft, it pays a poignant tribute to the futuristic aesthetics of the factory's original design.

Beyond its permanent collection, the museum offers a dynamic space that periodically hosts temporary exhibitions showcasing contemporary art. Within its confines, one can encounter a treasure trove comprising twenty-three paintings and two sculptures. Notable among the 18th-century artists represented is Canaletto, with the gallery boasting a captivating ensemble of six Venetian vistas by this master. To these, two paintings by Bernardo Bellotto, Canaletto's talented nephew, portraying scenes of Dresden with the Frauenkirche and the Hofkirche, are harmoniously added. Completing this 18th-century artistic tapestry is the splendid painting "Alabardiere in un paesaggio" by Giovan Battista Tiepolo.

Transitioning to the 19th-century art realm, the gallery is the guardian of two sculptural masterpieces known as "Le danzatrici" by Antonio Canova. It also proudly displays "La bagnante bionda" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and "La Négresse" by Édouard Manet.

The journey into the 20th century commences with Pablo Picasso's evocative "L'Hétaire" from his iconic Blue Period. Another Picasso gem gracing the gallery's walls is the Cubist masterpiece "Uomo appoggiato a un tavolo" dating from the years 1915-16. Amedeo Modigliani's exquisite portrayal of a female nude, hailing from the same period, exudes timeless allure. The gallery's impressive repertoire further includes a constellation of seven remarkable paintings by Henri Matisse.

In closing, the museum proudly showcases two pioneering works of the Futurist movement: "Lanciers italiens au galop" by Gino Severini and "Velocità astratta" by Giacomo Balla.

What happened to Gianni Agnelli's artworks?

In recent weeks, Italy's most significant art collection has been thrust into the spotlight, drawing attention not solely for the prominent artists featured within it but predominantly for the dramatic developments that have captured the public's interest. The central focus of this narrative revolves around the contentious legacy left by Giovanni Agnelli. Following his passing, three real estate properties were bequeathed to his wife, Marella Caracciolo, who herself passed away in 2019. These properties also housed a valuable collection of artworks, though it's worth noting that these artworks represent just a fraction of a vast collection accumulated over a lifetime by Giovanni Agnelli and his art-loving spouse.

Agnelli's real estate holdings, distributed posthumously with "usufruct" rights granted to his wife and "bare ownership" passed to their children, Margherita and Edoardo (who tragically ended his own life in 2000), are situated in Turin (Villa Frescot), Villar Perosa, and Rome (a penthouse near the Quirinale). Within these properties resided artworks bearing the signatures of renowned artists such as Bacon, Monet, Balla, de Chirico, and Gérôme. However, the word "resided" is used hesitantly, as recent developments indicate that these valuable artworks have seemingly vanished without a trace. Even the Swiss vault mentioned by Margherita Agnelli, who inherited the paintings after her mother Marella's passing, has proven fruitless in the quest to locate these missing treasures.

Following Marella's passing, Margherita assumed ownership of the three properties. In the interim, these properties were placed under a loan agreement for the use of her son, John Elkann. A formal complaint filed by Margherita's legal representative, Dario Trevisan, in the Court of Turin alleged "significant and substantial omissions of assets of great value belonging to the father" within these residences.

The Elkann siblings, including John, Lapo, and Ginevra, who are the offspring of Margherita, highlighted a different issue. They observed that "the inventory of assets for the Rome property, signed by both Marella and Margherita, intentionally omits page 75, which contained a listing of those paintings." According to the Elkanns, this missing page was deliberately removed because the paintings were Marella's personal property and, as such, not part of the inheritance bequeathed to their mother, Margherita. In essence, the paintings should have passed directly to Margherita's grandchildren.

Ongoing legal disputes focus on establishing ownership of the artworks and examining existing documents that could verify the inheritance details. However, a parallel, equally pressing question lingers: What has happened to the artworks by Monet, Bacon, de Chirico, Balla, and Gérôme? Are they still within Italy's borders, or have they been transported abroad?