Coline Milliard
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Businessman Rui Costa Reis has already approached the Portuguese government with a proposal, Xinhua reported. He hopes to display the extensive collection of works by the Catalan artist in Porto, North Portugal, for a period of at least 50 years.
The collection features 85 pieces including the Miró‘s celebrated Women and Birds. It was nationalized in 2008, when the Banco Portugues de Negocios went bankrupt.
Itself in abysmal financial turmoil, the Portuguese state recently decided to auction off the works.
The move provoked a public outcry. Opponents claimed it was illegal for the works to leave Portugal. Christie’s, which was due to conduct the sale last February, had to withdraw the works only hours before the beginning of the auction.
But holding company Parvolorem, which manages the sale, has now denied the claims. If the state turns down Costa Reis, the works are expected to hit the auction block in London next June.
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