07 Jun Evita and Juan Perón: Letters, documents and memorabilia

It will be 7.15 pm in Rome when, on Thursday 14 June, the auction house Bertolami Fine Arts will declare an auction that brings colors of Argentina open: “Evita and Juan Perón: letters, documents and memorabilia”.

All lots in catalogue come from the Argentinean residences of the Perón Family and from the archives of Puerta de Hierro, the Spanish residence where General Perón and his third wife Isabelita spent a large part of the years of exile.

From the materials at auction emerges an exciting scenario in which the human affairs of the Perón family intertwine with political ones: personal histories and History with a capital H. Juan Perón faces power: he finds it, consolidates it, loses it, pursues it and, at the same time, analyzes its dynamics with lucid coldness. Moved by the desire to create History, he writes a significant portion of his time history, but also writes the script of a modern, convincing mythology.

The undisputed protagonist of that powerful XX century myth ishis second wife Evita, the the people’s girl with impetuous eloquence and subtle brain, able toturnherself into an immortal legend. History teaches us that the best way to cheat death is to die young. Died at only 33, Evita took advantage of her painful illness to draw up the design that would make her the Last Goddess and her earthly remains a precious and disputed relic.

When, in 1955, a coup forced Perón to abandon Argentina, the symbolic power of Evita’s corpse – the relic left home to challenge the enemy – enable the new regime to give life to a grotesque, tragic, fictional story of abduction and improper disposal of a body. An incredible and exciting story of which the last chapter re-emerges in the auction: the return to Perón of the wife’s remains, buried under a false name for 14 years in Major Cemetery of Milan. The restitution ceremony took place in secret, that’s why the shooting of the coffin opening and the discovery of the cruel contempt of which the body of that much loved woman and, for this reason, so feared, had been the object in auction is so valuable (Lot 42).

Il corpo di Evita: storia di una reliquia. Película. Precio de salida: 1.500€

Evita’s corpse history is just one of the interesting stories that the treasured documents tell. Among those that Bertolami Fine Arts will auction the 14 June 2018 many are unpublished and may help to understand the complex General Perón personality. For example of great importance is an exceptional record library bearing recordings of political meetings, press conferences, interviews and statements by the General, his supporters and the numerous international figures who passed through Puerta de Hierro, the residence during Madrid’s exile, a setting for intense political activity. Listening to the audiocassettes emerges a lively portrait of the man and politician Perónand a long section of XX century history (Lot 37).

Images and words: movies, photographs and sound recordings from the Perón archive. Starting price: 8.000€

The lots collected in the section “The years of Exile (1956-1972)” – from 26 to 34 – confirm the image of Perón exceptional and tireless relationships weaver, highly valuedboth by the chancelleries of the most important states in the world, and by holders of international economic power. The great of the earth observe the General with constant attention and approach him to Puerta de Hierro, the other Casa Rosada, the one of Madrid, the headquarters of the the distinguished exiled. The names of Perón powerful visitors and supporters are noted in the agendas kept by his secretary in the years 1969, 1971, 1972, a reading that gives more than a surprise (Lot 33).

The years of exile (1956 – 1972). The agends of the Juan Perón secretariat relating to the years 1969/1971/1972. Starting price: 3.600€

When his return to homeland is now for sure, everyone tries to understand what he’s planning and, perhaps, to win the support. Lot 38 is of exceptional interest, an unpublished document from 1973: the organization of the Montoneros attempts to orient the choices of the General by forwarding the project of a Cabinet consisting of eighty-four names of sympathizers of the movement.

An unpublished document of 1973 of considerable historical interest: in view of the formation of the new Perón Government, the organization of the Montoneros attempts to orient the General’s choices by forwarding the project of a Government Cabinet consisting of eighty-four names of sympathizers of the movement. Starting price: 1.800€

On sale also some somefond memorabilia recalling the unforgettable figure of Evita, the most important of them is lot 7, a lock of her hair jealously guarded by her husband for years.

A strand of Evita Perón hair, preserved in a 4 cm diameter round reliquary. Starting price: 15.000€

In the Memorabilia section (Lots from 7 to 25) two handbags belonging to Evita’s wardrobe (Lot 8 and lot 9) evoke her unmistakable style. A formidable communicator, Evita was perfectly aware of the iconic power of her beauty. His descamisados wanted a goddess and Evita created for them an extraordinary character: the elegant people’s tribune dressed by the most important couturier in the world, Christian Dior.

Among the objects that belonged to the General stand some jacket pins: The diamonds P-shapedone, donated to him by his wife Isabelita (Lot 10), and the gold and enamel one depicting the Shield of Loyalty, symbol of the Justicialist Party (Lot 12)

In the penultimate section “Para nuestro querido General Perón: discs, books and works of art with the dedication of the authors to Perón” the focus is on a lot that makes smile (Lotto 54). We are in 1969, Feliz Luna publishes El 45, cronica de un año decisivo, a book destined to become a classic of Argentine political literature. An hot off the presses copy is for Perón: “Hoping that you find in these pages the objectivity that wanted to give the author” (Esperando que encuentre en éstas páginas, the objetividad que quiso darle el Autor) is the dedication. The General reads carefully and notes in the margin his observations, not at all oriented to recognize in the pages of the volume the objectivity that was in the intentions of the author.

Bertolami Fine Arts

Palazzo CaetaniLovatelli

Piazza Lovatelli, 1 – 00186 Rome

VIEWING TIMES:

Opening Cocktail June 7, 2018 6.00 pm-9.00 pm
CET

8-9-10-11-12-13June 10.00 am – 7.00 pm CET

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Mariana

Especialista en pintura moderna, tasadora y perito. Graduada en Historia del Arte por la Universidad de Salamanca.