Yesterday at the FERIARTE, the XXX Feria de Arte y Antigüedades, this blogger of yours had one of the most sad and unpleasant episodes of his life as an antiquities-hunter. Having spotted a most neglected fragment a rather remarkable French 18th XVIII century tapestry I proceed to engage in the traditional seduction process. The tapestry in rags (see photo) was being used as a an advertising panel in the stand of "Atalnte" for their side-business of restauration of old tapestries. I talked for almost twenty minutes with a most charming gentleman, one of the co-managers of the stand. We discussed the shared affection for objects about which one can tell a little story. I told him that I wanted to do a large collage with different textile fragments. We were both refraining from the first step of flagging up a price, any price. After a lot of coreographic refusals to go first , I ended up submitting a figure. The reaction was good ( My bargaining interlocutor almost doubled the price, but it was allright, something in between might be reached in the end). Just told me to check with his wife, who would be back in the stand any minute now. I walked around, already excited with where I was going to put it, against what type of background (linen? painted wood? a white wall, pure and simply?).
Ten minutes later, with my best smile, I meet the Wife. "What?? - she says. That fragment?.. I will never sell it. " "But?" - I confusedly mumbled, and told her of my pre-deal with her husband. "I am very sorry - she replied with the womanly firmness of a Lady Macbeth - that fragment is not for sale".
I am sending this blogtext to "Atalante" (www.atalante-art.com ) at the e-mail address provided by the very nice gentleman atalante@atalante-art.com .
The story might not be finnished yet, who knows?
