On November 5, one of the largest specimens of Tête by Amedeo Modigliani, which still was in the hands of a private, was auctioned at Sotheby’s at the record price of $ 70,725,000. For the artist from Livorno it was a new sales record, surpassing that of a previous Tête, sold in 2010 at Christie’s for more than $ 52 million.

The auction in New York confirmed, if still were needed, how Modigliani’s Heads are today among the most revered and wanted sculptures of the twentieth century.

Within Artrust collection stands out a bronze copy of “Head of a young with fringe” similar to the one sold in New York. It is a precious piece, certified by Amedeo’s daughter, Jeanne Modigliani, also produced in limited edition and enumerated by the renowned Parisian foundry Valsuani (today Airandor Valsuani, www.airaindorvalsuani.com).

Established in 1899 by the Italian Claudio Valsuani in Chatillon and then moved, since 1905, to the number 74, Rue de Plantes in Paris, the Valsuani Foundry has been, for over a century, a world reference for bronze sculptures making, using the technique of lost-wax casting.

A reputation due in large part to the skill in the realization of the “brown hot patina”: a technique imported from Italy, still praised by all, that left no residue of coal on the surface, giving the bronze sculpture a perfect glossy appearance. This patina still bears the name of “Black Valsuani”.

Therefore, it is no coincidence that, from generation to generation, the Valsuani Foundry has collaborated with some of the greatest European artists: Matisse, Degas, Gauguin, Rodin, Renoir, Maillol, Picasso, Dali, Giacometti and Modigliani himself.

Beside the renowned craftsmanship, the Valsuani Foundry was also the first foundry to fight against counterfeiting and against the proliferation of indiscriminate and unauthorized copy of the same work: they were the first in Europe who began to number their production, marking each copy not only with a serial number, but also with the total amount of the existing reproductions.

It is also the case of the bronze copy of Modigliani’s Head of Artrust collection, created from a mold of the original stone sculpture, and made only in 4 pieces.