Page 8 - Christie's Collecting Guide to Gold-Ground Paintings

The birth of linear perspective, often accredited to Masaccio’s Holy Trinity fresco, painted
circa 1428 in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, also gave artists a new and
powerful tool with which to bring Catholic dogma to life.

What collectors look for
Collectors of Italian gold-ground works from the Middle Ages tend to prioritize quality and
condition. A solid attribution and historical provenance also make a work desirable.

Complete altarpieces are rare and highly prized — over the centuries, many were broken up
into smaller parts to be sold off.
Some collectors prefer recognizable images, such as the Madonna and Child or a Crucifixion
scene. Others may want a more unusual subject to complement their collection.

Contemporary art collectors are also entering the market. They admire the tactile and
transcendental qualities of these artworks, and value them as cornerstones of a cross-category
collection.

Explore art from antiquity to the 21st century at Classic Week, 26 November to 12
December 2024 at Christie’s in London. On view 29 November