For centuries, Italy has been considered a land of culture and creativity, where trends and innovations are set and designed into new works.

In this context, it is important to mention the Italian start-up Cinello, founded in 2015 by Franco Losi and John Blem. Their invention is called DAW® (Digital Artwork), a technology that allows digital versions of artworks. According to Cinello's business model, the new DAW® artworks are sold, rented or allow for completely new exhibition models with other museums. Cinello's DAW® technology has already been used for some of the greatest masterpieces in art history such as Michelangelo's Tondo Doni from the Galerie degli Uffizi, whose sale in May 2021 to a private collector generated worldwide attention. The technology of the Cinello founders convinced the director of the Galleria degli Uffizi, Eike Schmidt, who upgraded the DAW® artwork with a certificate of authenticity signed by him. In the future, more of his artworks will follow such as Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, Raphael's Madonna del Granduca, Caravaggio's Bacchus and Titian's Venus of Urbino.

So NFT and DAW® art is hotly debated but for prospective buyers, gallery owners and even museums, the question is what exactly are they getting and how safe is a DAW® purchase. An interview with one of the two founders, Franco Losi about the founding years, the collaboration with the Uffizi and most importantly how the DAW® technique differs from a traditional NFT technic.

June 4, 2022

Interview Directory 

ART

Name: Franco Losi, Founder Cinello

Specialisation: Technology Company

Provenance: Made-in-Italy

Preferences: Who wouldn't want to own a Botticelli?

'Masterpieces here at the Uffizi (e.g. Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch and Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation) are now widely accessible in distant parts of the world – or even in the domestic environments - in Cinello’s digital format’. EIKE SCHMIDT, DIRECTOR OF THE UFFIZI GALLERY 

How did the idea for Cinello come about? Are you one of the pioneers in the digitization of artworks?

Cinello is a startup born in 2015, founded by me and John Blem. We both come from IT and we are engineers. We have combined the skills developed in the field of digital in thirty years of career between Silicon Valley and multinationals, and the passion for art and the Italian historical and artistic heritage, an identity element of our country and an asset to be valued.

Starting from the most important masterpieces, Cinello creates DAW® - Digital Art Work: digital multiples in 1: 1 scale, in a limited series, certified and not duplicable thanks to a patented technology that guarantees its management. Each DAW® is unique, numbered, authenticated and not reproducible, and respects all the constraints and requirements of the work of art, starting with its uniqueness. With the approval of MiBACT, Cinello has entered into agreements with the most important Italian museums public and private - Monumental Complex of the Pilotta in Parma, Accademia Galleries of Venice, Museum and Real Bosco di Capodimonte, Uffizi Galleries, Brera Art Gallery, Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Palazzo Pretorio di Prato Museum, Monte Foundation dei Paschi di Siena - who have authorized the reproduction of a wide selection of theirs most famous masterpieces.

What distinguishes Cinello from other providers in this industry? How is your technology different or better?

Basically, we have developed a patent that makes the file of the work we reproduce unique. We too rely on the blockchain to register an NFT as an archive, but let's say that compared to the technology that is so fashionable we have taken a step further. Working with the greatest masterpieces of art history, through numbered and certified digital editions, we had to find a way to put digital at the service of museums, to increase and not waste value. I believe we have succeeded.

Can you say something about the beginning of the collaboration with Le Gallerie degli Uffizi? Has it been difficult for you to convince some museum directors?

Quite frankly, when we went around talking about digital 5 years ago things were quite different, but we immediately found a positive response from our directors, who understood the opportunity. I leave you their words on the matter.

'Masterpieces here at the Uffizi (e.g. Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch and Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation) are now widely accessible in distant parts of the world – or even in the domestic environments - in Cinello’s digital format’. EIKE SCHMIDT, DIRECTOR OF THE UFFIZI GALLERY 

‘The thing that I like about this initiative is that it doesn’t cheat – it isn’t banally commercial. It isn’t unfaithful to the object, it’s a way of experiencing art and culture. 

Is it a reproduction, a copy or another original work? I don’t see disharmony between the two things. I see Cinello’s initiatives in a full spectrum of artwork that lead me or us towards a deeper understanding of our culture’ JAMES BRADBURNE, GENERAL DIRECTOR OF PINACOTECA DI BRERA

‘I think about the era of digital technology and high technological replicas as a form of art that can help museums and institutions like ours in raising awareness of the cultural heritage. 

Collectors can buy copies, which, in fact, are examples of contemporary creativity too, and create income that can help to preserve the original artworks and collections’ 

SIMONE VERDE, DIRECTOR OF THE COMPLESSO MONUMENTALE DELLA PILOTTA 

HEAD OF A WOMAN

Leonardo Da Vinci, Complesso Monumentale della Pilotta

1500 - 1510, 21x24.6 cm, ©Cinello

MADONNA OF THE GOLDFINCH

Raffaello Santi (Raffaello Sanzio)

Uffizi Gallery, 1506, 77x107 cm, ©Cinello

Are there many museums that go this way? Does the financing of the museum, which have suffered a lot around the world in the Corona crisis, play a role?

The pandemic has played a central role in the spread of digital. Certainly, things will never be the same again. With regard to international museums, our goal is to forge partnerships with the major museums in the world over the next few years.

What feeling is it to work over Botticelli's works, which are among the most important works of art of all time?

Italy retains a very important portion of the world's artistic heritage. Sometimes out of habit we tend to take it for granted, but it's not at all. Our goal is to be able to give access to these masterpieces to everyone in the world, with impossible exhibitions ever made and with zero impact, totally green and respectful of the environment. In addition to creating a new ecosystem of collecting that can generate revenues for partner museums. There is no like seeing them live. They are impressive.

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©Cinello