The Beautiful Game

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but possession goes to the bidder with the biggest chequebook. How do you handle a sixteenth century ivory carved to paper thinness, or try to place a value on a sculpture by Michelangelo? Donald Johnston, Head of Sculpture at Christie’s London reveals some of the best kept secrets about great works of art, forgeries and ‘That’ record-breaking sale. Follow him as he reveals a most unusual occupation, from keeping master works of history clean, to his journeys to the palazzi of Italy’s oldest families to his most exciting find. How did a nice Canadian boy from Toronto find himself in a powerful international auction house selling THE most expensive sculpture in the world?