Alighiero Boetti’sTutto

“A bit of a metaphor of the world”— International Director of Post-War & Contemporary Art Giacomo Balsamo introduces Alighiero Boetti’s embroidered artwork Tutto, the star lot of our Post-War & Contemporary Art auction on 12 October in London.

Italian conceptual artist Alighiero Boetti started the Tutto series in the Eighties, continuing it until the end of his life. Yet, “we see only a few examples of Tutto coming up to the market recently,” says Giacomo Balsamo, International Director of Post-War & Contemporary Art.

For our specialist, one of the most interesting aspects of the work is its spontaneity and playfulness. “If you look closely at this work, you can find a lot of things: toys, animals, brand names like Opel, Ferrari and Knorr.”

Read more: Alighiero Boetti Leads Frieze Week at Bonhams

The artwork comes from the respected Dutch collector Cornelis Paulus van Pauwvliet—more than 200 items from his collection, including works of art and furniture, are offered on 21 November. “He only had one post-war and contemporary work: Alighiero Boetti,” states Balsamo.

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Browse more lots in our upcoming auction on 12 October, including artworks by Lucio Fontana, Günther Förg and Salman Toor.