Ambrogio Ceroni — working method

>To see the works listed year by year, go to the CATALOGUE page.

• Some points to have in mind, all said by him: He said that he viewed and carefully examined in person all the works listed. He named his work as a "catalogue raisonné" of Modigliani's production. He made at least 5 corrections to his catalogue, the last published in 1972 after his death. He used (or said that he did) all the reliable sources and updated frequently. After a simple analysis of his work: His catalogue can not be called "raisonné", it presents enormous gaps in dating, medium, titles, provenance, exhibits, etc. a catalogue raisonné needs to be absolutely exact, exhaustive and complete. With this statement, Ceroni´s work should be called a "paintings collection," a good one in comparison with others on Modi, but absolutely not a Catalogue Raisonné, and this is why: He could not have seen all the works in person since there are totally obvious mistakes. EXAMPLE: Works painted both sides, only seen one side. EXAMPLE: Enormous mistakes in supports, "oil on canvas" when it's wood or cardboard. EXAMPLE: Wrong measurements in many works. EXAMPLE: His work was totally out of date in locations even at the time of printing. EXAMPLE: In his last edition he didn't change many of the owners, measurements or mediums when many were totally accessible at that time. EXAMPLE: His dating lacks any explanation and presents many mistakes. EXAMPLE: He omitted some of the most glorious works by the Livorno master. He included several fakes in his catalogue that have silently vanished. It is impossible to read the art evolution in Modigliani because works that come from the same year (the same painting session, same dressing, same haircomb, etc. etc.) are placed in different years. He accepted as valid the word of Lunia Czechowska changing dates and adding works because she confirmed the authenticity, when she was not trustable. Remember, it is a "catalogue raisonné" and that means he must include "all" Modi's production. (not our problem how he solves things like lost or whatever, it is raisonné or not?). The working base used here is Ceroni / Piccioni, Noguer / Rizzoli, 1970–77. The compilation is incomplete as a catalogue raisonné. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is a simple scheme of the catalogued works. In red are corrections to his numbers because of mistakes in supports, measurements, or he had not seen the back of the painting:

  YEAR Nº works listed MISTAKES OVERALL 1900-1905 0 - 1906 0 - 1907 5 1 ERROR 1908 7 1 ERROR 1909 18 16 ERRORS 1910 2 1 ERROR 1911 0 - 1912 4 3 ERRORS 1913 6 5 ERRORS 1914 1 ERRORS 1915 54 36 ERRORS 1916 58 57 ERRORS 1917 58 55 ERRORS 1918 66 41 ERRORS 1919 54 53 ERRORS 1920 - - TOTAL 337 WORKS 270 ERRORS ERRORS are as abvious as 2 sided paintings mentioned one side only, cardboard named as canvas and almost all the measures with mistakes.

  In the year by year(catalogue raisonné)each mistake is mentioned, but in conclusion, more than 270 mistakes in 337 works...