128 Luciano Lanfranchi FIG. 1 (above): Interior view of the previous home of Luciano Lanfranchi in Milan showing African sculpture arrayed with contemporary painting and drawing. Photo: Vittorio Carini. FIG. 2 (below): Luciano Lanfranchi with part of his collection. Photo: Pietro Notarianni. and Collecting Primitive Art away from the not-so-good ones. Eventually I made my fi rst purchases, and because I was well prepared, I avoided many of the errors that neophytes might be prone to make. T. A. M.: In your journey as a collector, you met many important characters in this fi eld. What events or personalities infl uenced this collection? L. L.: I was already a collector of modern art when I started buying primitive art. As such, I had already tuned my eyes to recognizing certain aesthetic qualities and discerning the beauty of an TRIBAL people The Italo-Swiss businessman Luciano Lanfranchi has been an important art collector for more than forty years. Surrounded by an eclectic array of paintings and sculptures from all corners of the world, Luciano has a very personal approach but at the same time demonstrates the importance of being well prepared to make informed choices in the fi eld of tribal art. Tribal Art Magazine: When we fi rst met more than twenty years ago, I remember that you had a great collection of traditional African art—with some world-renowned masterpieces such as the Blanckaert Hemba fi gure—alongside a wonderful collection of modern art. Can you tell me what inspired you to start collecting African art back in the 1980s? Luciano Lanfranchi: My rapport with African art (and “primitive art” in general) started in 1984 in New York on the occasion of the now legendary “Primitivism” in 20th Century Art exhibition at MoMA. I was both fascinated and taken aback by the show! Back in Milan where I lived, I contacted my good friend, the great collector Carlo Monzino, who was more than happy to introduce me to the world of tribal art. Monzino was my teacher and mentor, and along with his personal curator, Roberto di Giacomo, I visited the principal museums and important private collections. I met some good dealers and was advised Interview by Alex Arthur
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