Page 154 of King Of Order

His face turned red. His hands balled into fists as if trying to contain the shock.

He almost had an apoplexy right there in front of me.

‘Is that -?’

He couldn’t even finish his sentence.

‘It is,’ I confirmed, a small smile on my lips. ‘The piece you’ve been after for years.’

All the bluster and menace drained from him, replaced by shock.

His son Damian stepped forward, mouth hanging open as he peered at the canvas.

Claudio stayed frozen, his relief palpable, though he tried to hide it.

Fabian turned to me, his voice gruff but tinged with bare desire.

He kept staring at the egg-shaped, bright yellow pock-marked surface in wonderment, his eyes bugging out. ‘Is that the -?’

I nodded. ‘Si, it is the ‘Concetto Spaziale, La fine di Dio’, Lucio Fontana’s iconic work. TheLa fine di Dioseries is the aesthetic and conceptual pinnacle of the modern master’s celebrated oeuvre. Its equivalent works to the one at hand can be found in esteemed museum collections, including those of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. As well as the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid.’

‘Is that right?’ he mused, leaning in, transfixed.

‘Indeed. The collection features massive, ovoid canvases. Richly oil-painted in bold monochromes and pierced with holes. Created between March 1963 and February 1964, the pieces reflect Fontana’s exploration of space and spirituality, merging scientific and religious themes in a neo-modernist style.’

Fabian was trembling with excitement. ‘Dio, I’ve always wanted to own one.’

‘I know,’ I said with a smug smirk. ‘Now you can.’

Fabian drew even nearer, mouth agape.

‘It’s covered in punctures, or ‘buchi,’ I continued, ‘representing a radical break with traditional painting. The egg form symbolizes regeneration and cosmic principles, enhancing the work’s generative potential. Ultimately,Concetto Spaziale,La fine di Dio, transcends art’s boundaries, seen as both a sculpture and a portal to the metaphysical beyond,’ I added.

He came closer to the piece, still in wonder. ‘Tell me more,’ he grunted, enamored.

‘The elliptical-shaped canvas is about the artist’s height,’ I indulged him. ‘He used thick coats of bright yellow oil colorant to give the surface a shiny finish. While the pigment was still wet, he utilized a sharp tool to make the holes. He then employed his fingers and even his whole hand to make the apertures larger, sometimes creating deep indentations. He enjoyed how the color built up around the perforations and often added more paint to form raised areas, adding texture to the work.’

‘It’s a masterpiece.’

‘It’s a collector’s piece,’ I nodded. ‘TheConcettoSpaziale,LafinediDiolast sold at Sotheby’s for an estimated value of $22.96 million. The current owner is looking for a quick sale in the same region or higher.’

‘Why are they selling?’ Damian drawled, bored as shit, like he’d rather be at a bar somewhere chatting up women or snorting coke.

‘He needs fast liquidity as his company hasn’t had a good run in the stock exchange,’ I murmured.

‘I’ll take it,’ Fabian announced in his triumphant tone, a far cry from the unveiled threats he had issued earlier.

‘Let’s talk terms.’

The power balance shifted.

We had him where we needed him.

He grinned, but when his eyes sliced to his son, I perceived a shift in his demeanor.

I detected malice in Fabian’s eyes.

The hunger in his gaze was unadulterated greed, the kind that could only lead to one outcome.

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