Francesco Gianni cannot tell you too much about the painting
that dominates the main hall at Gianni Origoni & Partners.
Though it appears to depict the birth of Venus, the Dutch artist
who painted it is virtually unknown, and a team of historians is
still trying to establish the painting's date. Only two things are
certain: this is the largest painting in a private collection in
all of Italy, and it belongs to Francesco Gianni.
Both he and partner Giovanni Nardulli have hung pieces from
their own art collections throughout the firm's offices. One gets
the feeling that the paintings represent a marking out of
territory. Despite being a member of Linklaters & Alliance,
this remains most definitely an Italian firm. "Mergers are not a
goldmine. We don't understand this rush. If you merge, you have to
divert resources from the local firm," says Gianni. Bearing in mind
that his painting is twice as big as the...