FERCAM Fine Art supports MUDEC in welcoming a 17th-century masterpiece

A new treasure has joined the permanent collection of the MUDEC – Museum of Cultures in Milan, and FERCAM is proud to have contributed to this important cultural milestone. The Fine Art Business Unit handled the internal movement of the Portrait of Cardinal Giulio Rospigliosi, an extraordinary 17th-century feather mosaic created in Mexico and depicting the future Pope Clement IX.

The piece is a remarkably sophisticated example of amanteca art, an ancient technique that combines artisanal mastery with deep symbolic value. The surface is composed of multicoloured feathers arranged over thin sheets of amatl paper mounted on copper plates, a process that creates shimmering effects of light and colour, characteristic of this pre-Hispanic tradition later adapted in the colonial period for sacred images and commissioned portraits.

The artwork will be displayed in the room dedicated to the Settala Collection, within the exhibition path Milano Globale. The world seen from here, where it will dialogue with objects gathered from across the world by the 17th-century collector Manfredo Settala, whose remarkable cabinet of curiosities forms the historical nucleus of MUDEC’s holdings.

The acquisition follows an extensive process of research and provenance verification carried out by the museum in collaboration with the Embassy of Mexico in Italy. The piece offers valuable insight into the circulation of Mexican artworks in 17th-century Europe, often linked to diplomatic exchanges or religious missions.

For FERCAM Fine Art, it was a privilege to support the museum by handling the artwork with the utmost care required for such a delicate and significant object. Our team continues to assist cultural institutions in safeguarding and enhancing artistic heritage, ensuring reliable logistics even for the rarest and most complex works.