Alessandro Contini-Bonacossi
Italian art collector, dealer, and politician (1878–1955)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 Italy by Victor Emmanuel III.
Alessandro Contini-Bonacossi | |
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| Born | March 18, 1878 |
| Died | October 22, 1955 (aged 77) |
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 Victor Emmanuel 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 Office of Strategic Services Art Looting Investigation Unit for his role in dealing in 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.
