Modena returns as world capital of ancient art for a week: kickoff of the XXX edition of Modenantiquaria

Everything is ready for a new edition of Modenantiquaria, number 33 of Modena’s historic high antiques fair, which this year will be held for eight days from February 9 to 17, 2019 at ModenaFiere. It is a record year for Modenantiquaria, which continues the ambitious and sought-after project set by ModenaFiere director Paolo Fantuzzi four years ago. “On the strength of a staff of excellence, the invaluable advice of Pietro Cantore, President of the Associazione Antiquari Modenesi, and a high-value scientific committee involving, among others, Marco Riccomini, Andrea Bacchi and Anna Orlando,” says the director, “we have fully succeeded in our intent.”

Modenantiquaria today aims to be the “great Salon of Antiques,” a meeting place for art collectors, enthusiasts, interior decorators, designers and experts looking for pieces for the great international collections and for the world’s most famous Museums. “To our great satisfaction,” Fantuzzi continues, "Modenantiquaria has become the event of reference for those who seek and love Excellence, for those who ardently desire to purchase or even simply admire a Guercino or a Carracci with sacredness profound and touching or for those who want to immerse themselves in the charm and refinement of Giovanni Boldini and his ladies of charm, for those who seek the color and vibrancy of Andy Warhol and so on in an articulation of big names and great works of art that will satisfy every single need."

So many prestigious galleries will participate in the 33rd edition of Modenantiquaria: from Altomani to Fondantico, from Bottegantica to Cesare Lampronti, from Art studio 800 to Argo Fine Art, from Longari Arte to Galleria Quadrifoglio, and again the Cesaro Art Gallery, Cantore Galleria Antiquaria and Galleria Romigioli, Maurizio Nobile, Robilant Voena and Robertaebasta, Mirco Cattai, Studiolo Fine Art and Verdini C. Antiques.

These are just some of the most important Galleries present at Modenantiquaria. Not to be forgotten for their great importance are this year’s new entries: Romano Fine Art of Florence specializing in antique drawings, Salamon of Milan, Miriam Di Penta Fine Arts and Paolo Antonacci of Rome and Callisto Fine Art of London. The Antiquarian Association will be present in a fine collective booth at the beginning of the route. Eleven Galleries will be present: Alessandra Di Castro, Riccardo Bacarelli, Donatella Balzaretti, Bruno Botticelli, Enrico Frascione, Carlo Orsi, Fabrizio Moretti, Piva & C, Roberto Caiati, Walter Padovani, Maurizio Brandi. Each of them will select an invaluable masterpiece to icon the high value of their respective Galleries.

Fabrizio Moretti and Carlo Orsi themselves will be the protagonists of two cultural symposia coordinated by Leonardo Piccinini and Marco Carminati of Sole 24 ore. The meetings of the 2019 edition of Modenantiquaria’s talks promise to be interesting: the first occasion, on Saturday, Feb. 9, will see the protagonists of the Italian art system face to face to discuss trends, museum and legislative innovations, problems and opportunities of a changing world. Beginning at 6 p.m., in the Spazio Incontri, around the theme ll magico mondo dell’arte, Martina Bagnoli, director of the Estense Galleries, Enrico Frascione, president of the Associazione Antiquari d’Italia, Fabrizio Moretti, secretary general of the Florence Biennale di Antiquariato (which this year will celebrate its first 60 years of history) and Giulio Volpe, a lawyer and expert in the circulation of works of art, will confront each other.

The second event is scheduled for Sunday, February 10, also starting at 6 p.m., will have as its theme Nineteenth century, what a passion! Exhibitions, books, collecting. If the twentieth century was the Short Century, the modernity of the nineteenth century, with its social, political, cultural, and artistic innovations, is very long lasting and continues to engage us with numerous successful exhibitions, publications, and events. The most recent of which will have just opened at the San Domenico in Forli, where the major exhibition Ottocento. The Art of Italy between Hayez and Segantini. A success that is also confirmed at ModenaFiere, which, as part of Modenantiquaria, is setting up a section, EXCELSIOR, dedicated to the art of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, happily now in its twentieth year. Called to confront each other in this round table discussion are Alberto Mattioli, journalist for La Stampa, learned music essayist and great connoisseur of the nineteenth century; Fernando Mazzocca, one of the best-known art historians and scientific curator of the major exhibition in Forlì; antiquarian Marco Voena; and Pietro Cantore, president of the Associazione Antiquari modenesi. Both meetings will be moderated by Leonardo Piccinini.

Remarkable interest will also be aroused by the third of the talks, with the emblematic title Dalla galleria alle Gallerie (From the Gallery to the Galleries), made explicit by its subtitle, which reads: Le recenti acquisizioni di opere d’arte dal mercato antiquariale alle istituzioni pubbliche (appointment at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16). Cecilie Hollberg, Director of the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Florence, Paola Marini, former Director of the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice and now President of the Fondazione Roi, Carlo Orsi, antiquarian, moderated by Marco Carminati of the Domenicale del Sole 24 Ore, will discuss around the recent acquisitions made by Italian museums and institutions drawing on the antiquarian market. An activity that, despite economic difficulties, continues, often also thanks to the support of private individuals. And it is less marginal than is commonly thought. Admission to the three meetings is free for anyone, antiquarian or visitor, attending Modenantiquaria.

Modenantiquaria opens Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets cost 15 euros full and 12 euros reduced. For all info you can visit www.modenantiquaria.it.

Pictured is a photo from the 2018 edition of Modenantiquaria.

Modena returns as world capital of ancient art for a week: kickoff of the XXX edition of Modenantiquaria

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