Ansano di Andrea di Bartolo, Madonna and Child
Every time we manage to put together a substantial nucleus of medieval and Renaissance painting and sculpture it really is a source of enormous satisfaction, for this type of mer- chandise is difficult to come by these days. In recent years gold-ground and early age paint- ings have come back into fashion, this being due, I believe, to a rediscovery of their remark- able modernity, or rather, the fact of their being contemporary. Some collectors of modern art have started expanding their collections with gold-ground paintings. But then when you think about it, what is more modern and contemporary than a gold ground? These works, precisely because of their majesty and simplicity, can compete with anything.
Let us not forget that quality art is timeless, and that a Maso di Banco can quite easily be placed beside a Rothko. If for a moment I had to express myself as an art dealer, I would say that we should bear in mind that if you compare the costs of early art with those of modern art, the former is considerably undervalued, and therefore in the world of today it certainly represents an excellent investment.