Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted Access (SIA Only)
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Art Business
Abstract
This dissertation examines the impact of Italy’s cultural heritage export regulations, focusing on the 2017 reform, on the growth, competitiveness and strategic direction of the Italian art market. By combining quantitative analysis of auction data for ten post-war Italian artists with interviews involving Old Masters gallerists, legal experts, academics and auction professionals, this research explores how legislations shapes its market dynamics. The findings unveil a limited evidence of structural change following the reform, suggesting that modest increases in post-war artist sales are likely influenced by a broader of institutional and market dynamics. Nevertheless, interviews indicate that regulation still has a meaningful impact on professional practices and strategic decisions. Overall, this dissertation demonstrates that Italy’s cultural heritage export regime continues to limit and constrain its art market and it sheds a light on the need for a more balanced framework capable of supporting both cultural preservation and the sustainable development of the Italian art trade. The tension between patrimony and trade remains unresolved.
Recommended Citation
Corinaldi, Sarah, "From Protection to Adaptation: How Italy's Cultural Export Laws Shape the Strategic Evolution of its Art Market" (2026). MA in Art Business Dissertations. 39.
https://digitalcommons.sia.edu/ma_art_bus/39