NEWLY-ACCEPTED WORKS

---

A Catalogue Raisonné by definition is a comprehensive, annotated listing of all the known works of an artist either in a particular medium or all media. They may provide some or all of the following: Title and title variations. Dimension/ Size. Date of the work.

It is important to note that Ceroni never called his tome a 'Catalogue Raisonné.' He called it, 'Tout l'oeuvre Peint.' There is an important distinction.

Ambrogio Ceroni was a Milanese banker, art appraiser and later art critic. He died in 1970. His four publications of 1958, 1965, 1970 and 1972 are viewed currently as the only valid source for confirming a true Modigliani by Sotheby’s and Christie’s since approximately 2002. This decision came about due to many new fakes circulating in exhibitions and sales, to protect from such a concern. Part of our aim as a foundation is to restore faith in academic research on this artist.

Other auction houses and galleries are happy to sell non-Ceroni works, dependent on the other provenance material, and if authenticated by the most up-to-date scientific analysis and committee of experts such as the Modigliani Project. We hope that soon our CR will become the one reliable CR for Modigliani, and that works (even if not in Ceroni) will be accepted again by Christie's and Sotheby's because of this restoration of trust.

Ceroni only covered the period from 1906 (Modigliani's arrival in Paris) to the death of the artist. No work previous to 1906 is ever mentioned. 

Ceroni's work is important because he gathered much interesting and lost information. But when the only thing supporting his work was connoisseurship and 'having an eye', it was not fail-safe. The only reason to keep it as the primary source in judging the validity of a Modigliani work was because the other options had so far been so much less reliable! We hope to change that through our intricate archival research and scientific innovations.

Ceroni's work is not without fault. Here are some common myths debunked:

1. He never included American paintings = FALSE: he included many of them, not all, but many.
2. His work is solid = FALSE: many mistakes, over 200 errors in the 337 paintings listed,
3. He said that he viewed and examined carefully all the works listed in person = FALSE: there are many mistakes as obvious as ‘canvas’ when it is cardboard (more than 10 times). Many works could not have been seen in person as they were in private collections.
4. If a work is in Ceroni, then it is original = FALSE: several works now identified as fakes were included by Ceroni. We would like to clear up these questions as part of our work.

After his death in 1970 his widow Angela expertised saying that, “it was in my husband’s files and intention.” His widow became a ‘source’ for unpublished work, and several artworks are for sale with certificates made by Angela Ceroni. Their daughter Anna also became involved and published some nudes, and collaborated with Parisot on some points (only briefly).

Anna Ceroni collaborates now with Dr Kenneth Wayne at the Modigliani Project, and her recent article at Burlington Magazine was interesting: The Catalogue Raisonnés of Modigliani. Find here.

Some points to have in mind, all said by Ceroni:

• He said that he viewed and carefully examined in person all the works listed.
• He made at least four corrections to his catalogue, the last published in 1972 after his death.
• He used (or said that he did) all the reliable sources and updated frequently. 

Ceroni's tome cannot be called ‘raisonné’ as it presents gaps in dating, medium, titles, provenance and exhibitions. A catalogue raisonné needs to be absolutely exact, exhaustive and complete.

• He could not have seen all the works in person.
• He was working alone using only his own opinion.
• Mistakes where works painted on both sides, but only seen one side.
• Mistakes in supports, ‘oil on canvas’ when it’s wood or cardboard.
• Wrong measurements in many works.
• Mistakes in date or location even at the time of printing.
• In his last edition he didn’t change many of the measurements or mediums when many were totally accessible at that time.
• His dating lacks any explanation.
• He omitted some of the best works by Modigliani.
• Works that clearly come from the same year (the same painting session, dressing, hair comb etc) are placed in different years.
• He accepted as valid the word of Lunia Czechowska when changing dates and adding works because she confirmed the authenticity, when she was not trustworthy.

The Modigliani Project committee make sure to be scrupulous about seeing and checking in person every single submission. Much time is taken to explore the data, reports and provenance and every single physical and chemical detail. An expert team rather than one individual decides the outcome, and we always look back on our decisions if new technology or evidence becomes available. Our sole priority is the longterm legacy of the artist and the safe-keeping and appropriate sharing of his magnificent works.