Marie-Laure de Noailles at Galleria del Naviglio, 1962

In March 1962, Milan's Galleria del Naviglio dedicated its 355th exhibition to Marie-Laure de Noailles, the legendary figure of Parisian Surrealist patronage. The catalogue documenting this exhibition — held from 31 March to 11 April — represents today a rare testimony to a lesser-known aspect of the viscountess: her activity as a painter. Printed by Elli & Pagani with a photographic cover reproducing an abstract work and signature in red, this copy occupies a market range of €80–150, reflecting growing interest in documents related to the history of Italian post-war avant-garde galleries.

Bibliographic notes

The catalogue constitutes the first and only printed edition dedicated to this specific Milanese exhibition. Produced by the historic Elli & Pagani press, it forms part of the long series of publications commissioned by Carlo Cardazzo to document exhibitions at his gallery. The Galleria del Naviglio, founded in 1946, had by 1962 reached the remarkable milestone of 355 exhibitions, establishing itself as a reference point for Spatialism, Lucio Fontana, Alberto Burri and international avant-gardes. The decision to dedicate a solo exhibition to Marie-Laure de Noailles — known primarily as the financier of Surrealist cinematic masterpieces such as L'Âge d'or and Un Chien Andalou — testifies to Cardazzo's openness towards transversal figures of the European artistic panorama. The photographic cover, a distinctive element of Naviglio catalogues, reproduces an abstract work by the viscountess, accompanied by her autograph signature in red, conferring upon the volume an almost artist's-multiple character.

Provenance & condition

No specific provenance information is available for this copy, a common circumstance for exhibition catalogues that rarely bear bookplates or ownership annotations. The ephemeral nature of these publications — distributed free to visitors or sold at nominal prices — has often compromised their survival in optimal condition. Galleria del Naviglio catalogues, though carefully printed, were conceived as temporary documentation tools rather than bibliographic editions destined for preservation. The condition of this copy has not been detailed in the description provided, but one may reasonably expect the customary traces of use: slight paper oxidation, possible corner creases, potential margin yellowing. The presence of the original photographic cover and red signature constitutes an element of distinction, as these graphic details tend to deteriorate or fade over time. For catalogues of this period, the absence of significant tears and complete text legibility already represent satisfactory conditions.

Market value

The valuation of €80–150 reflects a niche but stable market for historic catalogues from Italian post-war galleries. The rarity score of 52/100 (discrete index) indicates limited but not exceptional availability: similar copies appear sporadically on the international antiquarian market, primarily through specialist platforms such as AbeBooks and ZVAB. The value is sustained by three converging factors: Marie-Laure de Noailles's renown as a Surrealist patron, the prestige of Galleria del Naviglio in the history of contemporary Italian art, and the documentary rarity of the viscountess's solo exhibitions as a painter. Catalogues from analogous Naviglio exhibitions — dedicated to less celebrated artists — generally occupy the lower range (€60–100), whilst publications relating to Fontana or Burri may exceed €200. The presence of the autograph signature on the cover, if verified as original rather than typographically reproduced, could justify valuations towards the upper limit of the range. Collectors of Surrealism, scholars of artistic patronage and enthusiasts of Milanese exhibition history constitute the reference audience for this type of material.

Why it matters

This catalogue represents a document of intersection between apparently distant cultural worlds: the Parisian Surrealism of the 1920s and 1930s, embodied by the figure of Marie-Laure de Noailles, and the Milanese Spatialist avant-garde of the post-war period, promoted by Carlo Cardazzo. The viscountess, born Marie-Laure Bischoffsheim in 1902 and deceased in 1970, remains one of the most fascinating figures of twentieth-century patronage: heiress to immense banking fortunes, she transformed her Parisian hôtel particulier in Place des États-Unis into a cenacle for artists, writers and filmmakers. Her financial support made possible seminal works such as the films of Buñuel and Dalí, but also editorial, theatrical and musical projects. Less known is her pictorial production, characterised by an abstract-informal language that this catalogue helps to document. The 1962 Milan exhibition occurred at a moment of transition: the viscountess was by then sixty years old, historic Surrealism belonged to the past, yet interest in her works testified to the persistence of her cultural fascination. For scholars of Galleria del Naviglio, this catalogue enriches understanding of Cardazzo's exhibition policy, capable of alternating shows by established masters with presentations of less conventional figures. For collectors of Surrealist ephemera, it represents a rare tessera completing the visual biography of a protagonist often remembered solely for her role as patron, restoring her dignity as an artist in full right.