Basket of fruit by Caravaggio: an immortal artwork reproduced in digital format by Cinello at the Ambrosiana in Milan

From November 22, 2023, Caravaggio's "Basket of fruit," a traditional highlight of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana collection in Milan and temporarily on loan to Palazzo Mazzetti in Asti, is replaced by Cinello's DAW® (Digital Artwork), Limited edition 4 of 9, a certified and authorized digital serigraphy by the museum, replicating all the characteristics of the original work.

This is a high-resolution digital edition of the original file, accompanied by an identical frame. Thanks to Cinello's internationally patented technology, it is possible to experience the artwork even in the absence of the original.

Painted in the artist's early period (between 1597 and 1600), it is conventionally considered the first still life in the history of Western art: one can discern the tendency toward extreme realism that will characterize Caravaggio's technical and expressive maturity, as well as the choice not to paint leaves and fruit in an idealized form but to highlight their precious imperfections, a symbol of the transience of life.

It is interesting that Cinello is replacing this masterpiece that marked a turning point in art history. It is indeed an elective affinity, a correspondence, between a company that aims to support the cultural landscape through new forms of digital artistic enjoyment and Caravaggio, the revolutionary and rebellious artist by definition.

This is not the first time Cinello has replaced this work in digital format; it already happened in 2018 when the painting underwent conservation restoration. Today it happens again with the artwork on loan to the Asti palace. It should be emphasized that this is a temporary donation, a return to the community of art, beauty, and the enhancement of our artistic-cultural heritage, of which Cinello is the absolute protagonist.

This act is consistent with the company's philanthropic mission in favor of museums and cultural foundations. Indeed, 50% of the proceeds from every activity carried out through DAW® are paid to the entity holding the rights to reproduce the digital artwork, thus benefiting from new resources without any cost. It's a great opportunity that Cinello offers to partner museums: an ever-effective collaboration with the country's most important museums to generate new revenue through contemporary digital technologies.

This event opens up new scenarios in the Italian museum landscape: providing a viewing experience comparable to that of the original, thanks to Cinello's DAW®, allowing museums to have an alternative when temporarily deprived of the original work. Considering that through loans like these, Italian museums have the opportunity to acquire economic resources to reinvest in the cultural circuit; having the opportunity to "replace" the work through Cinello's work makes it a more effective choice. As a confirmation of the trust that a prestigious museum like the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana places in Cinello, it must be emphasized that we are talking about the replacement, albeit temporary, of a fundamental work in the history of Italian art, as well as a flagship of the Ambrosiana itself.

As with all strongly innovative realities that propose something unseen or unthought of before, a cultural revolution is needed to fully appreciate their potential and opportunities. A mindset transformation is necessary to understand that creative forms and the enjoyment of art are always products of their time and in constant evolution.

Therefore, we can only wait for the last resistances to wane to witness the undeniable value that a reality like Cinello introduces into the art world.