Man donates collection of Picasso, Mirò, Ernst, de Chirico

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 4 - A Trieste man has donated to the Friuli region a large modern-art collection including works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Mirò, Max Ernst and Giorgio de Chirico worth over 700,000 euros.
    Antonio Cattaruzza, 71, a member of a distinguished Triestine family and a former manager at locally based insurance giant Generali, has been described as "the last MittellEuropean art patron".
    Fiuli Governor Massmiliano Fedriga said the "act of generosity" of Cattaruzza, who is of Austrian heritage, "is a magnificent demonstration of belonging to the community of Friuli Venezia Giulia and a desire to leave something precious at others' disposal".
    Cattaruzza, who has a degree in mechanical engineering, said: "my machinery teacher used to say 'remember that if something is not beautiful, it does not work: a connecting rod must not only be functional but also functioning and therefore beautiful. So from this standpoint, art and engineering are connected".
    (ANSA).