Italy for Sale: Alternative objects – alternative markets.

The article discusses the growing interest in the formation, display, and dispersal of art collections in Europe and the United States over the past two decades. The editors focus on lesser-known collecting practices and aspects of the trade in Italian Renaissance art and its reproductions between the late nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. The article explores the sale and reception of plaster casts and reproductions of paintings in both public and private collections, as well as the role of authentic works and their copies in private collections. It also examines the role of photography in the dissemination of Renaissance art and the export of Italian art to other countries. The article concludes by highlighting the importance of archival research in enriching our understanding of collecting and the international art market. [Extracted from the article]