Alitalia To Put Art Collection Up For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Dec 5th 2008 at 9:02AM

Italian aircraft carrier Alitalia has a resource some other carriers don't in order to help raise funds. Alitalia is currently looking into selling its prized modern art collection to help to reduce debts, as it prepares for a relaunch next month under new ownership. The collection of over 200 pieces includes works by Salvador Dali, Giorgio De Chirico and Giacomo Balla, as well as sculptures by Giacomo Manzu and Mario Ceroli. The airline began its collection in the 1950s and the pieces are now at Alitalia offices in Rome, Milan, Turin and New York, or in storage. Christie's is reportedly making a valuation of 193 of its works of art and is said to be choosing 50 works of the greatest value and interest to be auctioned off. The news comes just after German airline Lufthansa launched "Lufthansa Italia", a new airline based at Milan Malpensa, to serve main European cities, including London.

Tags: airline, alitalia, art, dali, jets