Alessandro Contini-Bonacossi Explained

Alessandro Contini-Bonacossi
Birth Date:	18 March 1878

Count Alessandro Contini-Bonacossi (18 March 1878 – 22 October 1955) was an Italian politician, art collector, dealer, and philatelist. In 1939 he was made a Senator of the Kingdom of Vittorio Emanuele III.

Early life

Contini-Bonacossi was born in Ancona on 18 March 1878 to Camillo Contini and the Countess Elena Bonacossi Bermudez of Ferrara.

Political career

In 1928, Contini-Bonacossi was made a Count by Vittorio Emanuele III. In 1939 he became a Senator.

Nazi era

Through Walter Hofer, Contini-Bonacossi sourced art for the Göring Collection.^[1]

Around 1942, Göring's art agent Sepp Angerer, and the local German consul Gerhard Wolf, went on a tour of Contini-Bonacossi's collection. Angerer supposedly told the count, "What a pity you're not a Jew!" and drawing a finger across his throat continued "If you were a Jew, we could do just that! And all the paintings would be ours!"^[2]

Contini-Bonacossi was investigated in 1946 by the OSS Art Looting Investigation Unit for his role in dealing Nazi-looted art and placed on the Red Flag List of Names.^[3]

Philately

Contini-Bonacossi was a noted philatelist. He won a Gold-Silver medal at the London International Stamp Exhibition 1960 for his display of Tuscany^[4] and a gold medal at WIPA 1965, also for Tuscany.^[5]

Death

Contini-Bonacossi died in Florence on 22 October 1955.

External links

• http://www.yourwaytoflorence.com/db/musei/contini.htm

Notes and References

1. Lootedart.com Dealer Records : Count Alessandro Contini-Bonacossi (1878-1955)
2. Book: Samuels, Ernest & Jayne Samuels.. Bernard Berenson, the Making of a Legend. 1987. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, MA. 978-0-674-06779-0. 478–479.
3. Web site: Art Looting Intelligence Unit (ALIU) Reports 1945-1946 and ALIU Red Flag Names List and Index. 2022-02-23. www.lootedart.com. Contini-Bonacossi, Count Alessandro. Florence, Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci 28/Villa Vittoria-Carmignano, Tuscany. Art dealer and former prominent Fascist Party member. Close financial adviser to Mussolini. Has always maintained position of wealthy collector, rather than dealer, and engaged in large volume of international art business prior to 1939. Sold largest volume of works of art to Hofer for Goering Collection of any individual in Italy. Has denied willingness of these undertakings and has stated that he sold to the Germans "under compulsion". Has professed strong pro-Ally sentiments since the Allied occupation of Italy, and expressed desire to collaborate with Allied authorities. His activities are presently under investigation..
4. "The exhibition full list of awards and final report of international jury", The London Philatelist, Vol. LXIX, Aug-Sept. 1960, No. 813, p. 160.
5. "WIPA 1965", H.R. Holmes, The London Philatelist, Vol. 74, Aug-Sept. 1965, No. 872-873, p. 164.