Andrea Piancastelli

An Italian freelance translator and archaeology graduate, I specialise in the translation of texts from English, French and German to Italian. With three years' professional experience, a strong academic background and broad hands-on experience in the fields of archaeology, history of art and antiques, I focus on providing quality texts with attention to detail and target register, attentive to meeting client needs and deadlines.

Christie's wine department specialises in truly rare wine varieties, and assists with a wide range of buying and selling needs, for customers all over the globe. I worked with the pre-sale administrator, specialists and cataloguers, gaining a solid grounding in wine terminology. I also helped with English/French proofreading for the company auction catalogues.

The scope of this department is almost infinite, spanning areas as diverse as furniture, tapestries, ornaments, glassware, antique garden furniture, clocks, scientific equipment, paintings from Renaissance to the Contemporary, and much else besides. My work allowed me to gain an intimate knowledge of an immense range of subject areas and their terminology, as well as giving me a unique glimpse into the organisation and sale of such pieces at auction.

I assisted the Curatorial Dpt in researching, writing, proofreading and editing technical data sheets in preparation for publication of the Collections Online Project, this involved transferring all the information in the archive from paper to electronic format, improving and expanding the information on each piece.

I helped in the organisation of sales and exhibitions, and assisted the Specialists with Italian/English translations for the acquisition of Donatella Versace's painting collection. Practical on-site training was also provided in various techniques used by art experts, such as authenticating a painting, and recognising aspects such as the frame, signature, and techniques of individual artists.

A two-week course, working and living on-site at an extensive area of ancient Mayan ruins in the jungle.

A five-year course, specialising in Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome; Etruscology.

Studies in Italian, English, French, German, Russian and History of Art.