MILAN (AP) — The recent auction of a painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci fetched over $450 million, drawing significant attention to the art world. Now, Italian cultural officials are innovating by offering certified digital copies of the artwork "Lady with Disheveled Hair," originally created by the Renaissance master, for about the price of a Lamborghini. This initiative, spearheaded by the Italian nonprofit Save the Artistic Heritage and technical partner Cinello, aims to provide affluent collectors with a unique opportunity to own a literal projection of iconic Italian masterpieces, complete with sizing and framing that emulate the museum experience.
Participating museums validate these digital copies with a certificate of authenticity, which allows them to receive 50% of the profits generated from the sales. John Blem, the Italian-born Danish entrepreneur behind this initiative, emphasizes that the goal is not merely to sell technology but to offer genuine artwork to collectors. This revenue-sharing model serves as a critical component of the project, aiming to assist financially strapped museums in creating new income streams. Over the past two years, Save the Artistic Heritage has distributed approximately 300,000 euros (around $347,000) to associated Italian museum partners, with prices for these digital masterpieces ranging from 30,000 euros to 300,000 euros.
To further enhance the value, each artwork is limited to a series of nine copies, representing the traditional number of casts that can be made from a single mold while still being considered original. The catalog includes about 250 Italian artworks, stemming from roughly ten participating museums and foundations, such as the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan, the Capodimonte in Naples, and the Pilotta in Parma, which houses a Leonardo painting that recently sold for 250,000 euros (nearly $290,000). Additionally, Blem and his partner are working towards establishing a similar nonprofit in the United States, slated for launch next year.
The digital experience of these artworks includes backlit displays on screens, sized appropriately to their originals, which create a luminously vibrant effect, particularly striking with works like Raffaelo's "The Marriage of the Virgin," housed in Milan's Brera Art Gallery. Other pieces showcased, including Leonardo's windswept portrait and Andrea Mantegna's "Lamentation over a Dead Christ," feature subtler hues. Close examination reveals fine details down to individual brush strokes, albeit without the texture found in the originals. Angelo Crespi, the director of the Brera Art Gallery, remarked on the fascination generated by the digital version of "The Marriage of the Virgin," highlighting its exceptional perfection and luminosity, while acknowledging that viewers can recognize it as a digital copy.
The integration of digital technology into the artistic domain has been evolving, including the use of digital canvases and televisions that showcase rotating artworks. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has previously conducted projects featuring textured, multidimensional scans of notable masterpieces. Luke Gartlan, head of the University of St. Andrews art history department, affirmed that the Save the Artistic Heritage project aligns with a long-standing tradition in Italy of using replicas to aid museums in sustaining their activities and preserving their collections. He noted the historical leadership of Italian museums in pioneering these technologies, referencing the Alinari Archive in Florence and the Vatican Museums’ collaborations on high-resolution digital photography of the Sistine Chapel.
The Brera Art Gallery has recently embarked on a new phase with Save the Artistic Heritage, releasing a second series of artworks designed for engaging potential donors and for promotional activities. Roman numerals distinguish these pieces from the commercial series. The Brera Museum's budget, approximately 14 million euros, is primarily generated through ticket sales, with only 10% funded by the state and 30% from donations and sponsorships. Thus, any new revenue source is invaluable for these institutions.
Blem's approach involves creating a dual benefit: a commercial sale and a method for buyers to contribute to museum funding. The digital replicas are displayed on screens that are proportionate to the actual artworks and presented in replica frames. The patented technology entails a mechanism that unlocks the digital copy when synchronized with Cinello's mainframe, ensuring that uniqueness is embedded in each copy through specific computer coding.
Future prospects for this project include facilitating digital exhibitions of masterpieces that are rarely, if ever, available for loan. Blem envisions these as "Impossible Exhibitions," allowing art to reach remote locations where access to museum-quality exhibitions is limited. The fundamental challenge of the project has been aligning the initiative's scope with the expectations and practices of various stakeholders in the art world, underscoring the complex regulations that govern this space.
