There is an appointment that, every two years, transforms Florence into the world capital of historic Italian art. It is the BIAF — Biennale Internazionale dell’Antiquariato di Firenze — the oldest, most authoritative and most prestigious fair in the world dedicated to Italian art, now reaching its 34th edition. From 26 September to 4 October 2026, the rooms of the seventeenth-century Palazzo Corsini will open once more to welcome collectors, scholars, dealers and connoisseurs from every corner of the antiquarian world where Italian art holds sway.
The Biennale has evolved far beyond a mere marketplace; it has increasingly become an emblem of identity. Much like the Gazzetta Antiquaria, its very raison d’être is rooted in the defense, study, and promotion of Italy’s artistic heritage.
A Defining Moment for the Italian Antique Trade
To speak of BIAF 2026 is to address a sector undergoing a profound transformation. The Italian art market—which operates alongside a vital network of restorers, artisans, and scholars—is currently grappling with an era dominated by digital acceleration, serialization, and artificial intelligence. In this landscape, the demand for authenticity, uniqueness, and material presence is growing sharper. It is no longer just the traditional Anglo-Saxon or Northern European collectors driving the market, but a highly sophisticated global audience looking to historic Italian art as a sanctuary of meaning and enduring value.
The BIAF 2026 interprets this cultural moment with remarkable clarity. As the newly appointed Secretary General, Bruno Botticelli, notes on the eve of his directorial debut: “We must anticipate, change, and create, not merely follow the current.”His vision is for a Biennale that transcends its role as a showcase of excellence to become a true cultural ecosystem. It aims to educate, connect, and foster dialogue with kindred disciplines such as design, fashion, and haute craftsmanship, in order to fully elevate the Made in Italy ethos. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese technique of Kintsugi—which repairs ceramics by illuminating fractures with gold rather than concealing them—the BIAF seeks to highlight the layered memory of unique objects, presenting antiquity not as a nostalgic retreat, but as a vital instrument for navigating the complexities of the present day.
Florence and the BIAF: An Indissoluble Bond
That the BIAF is held in Florence is neither a coincidence nor a mere convention; it is a cultural necessity. No city on earth embodies the relationship between art, history, restoration, and master craftsmanship more seamlessly than Florence. This edition, more than its predecessors, consciously reinforces this connection by establishing a network of synergies with the city’s leading cultural institutions.
The Fondazione CR Firenze, a historic partner of the BIAF since 1994, takes center stage this year with two extraordinary initiatives. The first centers on a work of priceless value: Michelangelo’s drawing, Project for the Facade of San Lorenzo, held by Casa Buonarroti, which will be exhibited at the Biennale from 24 September to 4 October. The work is currently the subject of a major conservation project funded entirely by the Fondazione CR Firenze and entrusted to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure—Florence’s premier institution for cultural heritage restoration. Preliminary diagnostic campaigns will take place this August at its Fortezza da Basso headquarters. The second initiative is an exclusive program of special guided tours at the Horne Museum, entitled “The Connoisseur’s Eye: Herbert Horne, an English Collector in Florence.” This is reserved for collectors attending the BIAF on the evenings of September, 30th and October, 2nd (from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM, reservations via segreteria@museohorne.it).
Equally significant is the collaboration with the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, culminating in a special event on 25 September to mark the opening of the exhibition Broken: The Power of the Fragment. This promises a compelling visual juxtaposition between the grand sculptural traditions of the past and the idioms of contemporary art—a dialogue that feels entirely natural only in Florence.
Further cementing the fair’s deep regional roots are the endorsements of the Region of Tuscany—marking its first official collaboration with the BIAF—and the Florence Chamber of Commerce, which recognizes the Biennale as a global shop window for the city’s restoration and artistic craftsmanship sectors.
Eighty Galleries, a Museum-Quality Trajectory
Palazzo Corsini will host approximately eighty exhibitors, selected with rigorous scrutiny by a vetting committee that this year comprises 63 high-profile figures, including restorers, curators, international museum directors, and specialists across all disciplines. Two days of intense examination prior to the opening will guarantee the authenticity and optimal state of conservation of every work on display.
The exhibits span an extraordinary chronological and typological range: from gold-ground panels and Old Master paintings to wooden and marble sculpture, historic furniture, decorative arts, and onward to twentieth-century masters and international contemporary art. This wide scope mirrors the growing inclination among global collectors to juxtapose antiquity with modernity.
The participating galleries reflect the pinnacle of the domestic and international art market, with exhibitors hailing from Italy’s major hubs—Milan, Rome, Florence, Naples, Bologna, and the Veneto—alongside prestigious international dealers from London, Paris, Munich, Geneva, Lugano, and Palm Beach.
Exhibitor List: The 34th Edition of BIAF
800/900 ARTSTUDIO · AL FINE ART ANTONACCI LAPICCIRELLA · ALESSANDRA DI CASTRO · ALESSANDRO CESATI · ALICE FINE ART · ALTOMANI & SONS · ANTICHITÀ GIGLIO · ATTILIO CECCHETTO ANTIQUARIO · BACARELLI ANTICHITÀ · BOTTEGANTICA · BOTTICELLI ANTICHITÀ · BRUN FINE ART · BUTTERFLY · CALLISTO FINE ARTS · CANTORE GALLERIA ANTIQUARIA · CARLO ORSI · COPETTI ANTIQUARI · CORTONA FINE ART · ED GALLERY · ENRICO FRASCIONE · ENRICO GALLERIE D’ARTE · FLAVIO GIANASSI FG FINE ART · FONDANTICO di Tiziana Sassoli · FRASCIONE GALLERY · GALERIE CANESSO · GALLERIA BERARDI · GALLERIA CARLO VIRGILIO & C. · GALLERIA CONTINUA · GALLERIA D’ARTE FREDIANO FARSETTI · GALLERIA GOMIERO · GALLERIA MARLETTA · GALLERIA POGGIALI · GALLERIA ROBERTO DUCCI · GALLERIA RUSSO · GALLO FINE ART · GALLORI TURCHI ANTICHITÀ · GIACOMETTI OLD MASTER PAINTINGS · GIAN ENZO SPERONE · GIORGIO BARATTI ANTIQUARIO · GIOVANNI ASIOLI MARTINI ANTIQUARIO · GOLDFINCH FINE ARTS · HARTFORD FINE ART – LAMPRONTI GALLERY · IOTTI ANTICHITÀ · LEONE · LONGARI ARTE MILANO · LULLO PAMPOULIDES · MAISON D’ART · MATTEO LAMPERTICO Arte Antica e Moderna · MAURIZIO BRANDI ANTIQUARIO · MAURIZIO NOBILE FINE ART · MEARINI FINE ART · MICHELE GARGIULO “ANTIQUARIO” · MILANI ANTICHITÀ · MIRCO CATTAI FINE ART & ANTIQUE RUGS · ORSINI arte e libri · OSART GALLERY · PAOLO ANTONACCI · PARRONCHI DIPINTI ‘800-‘900 · PENNISI · PIVA & C. · RAFFAELLO PERNICI · RENZO MORONI · REVE ART · ROB SMEETS OLD MASTER PAINTINGS · ROBERTO CAMPOBASSO · ROMANO FINE ART · ROMIGIOLI ANTICHITÀ · SALAMON & C. · SANDRO MORELLI · SANTA TECLA · SCULTURA ITALIANA di Dario Mottola · SOCIETÀ DI BELLE ARTI · TETTAMANTI ANTICHITÀ · TOMASSO Ltd. · TORNABUONI ARTE · VERDINI · VOENA · WALTER PADOVANI
The Lorenzo d’Oro Prize and the New Catalogue
Among the innovations of this edition is the revival of the Lorenzo d’Oro Prize. This year, the award has been crafted by master Florentine silversmiths and will be presented on 24 September—in the presence of Mayor Sara Funaro—to a prominent figure from cinema or culture who has excelled in promoting Italian art internationally.
On the editorial front, the fair’s historic magazine has been transformed into an official bilingual scientific catalogue, edited by Cesare Cunaccia and published by Gruppo Editoriale. Filled with essays and contributions from international curators, scholars, and museum directors, this volume is destined to serve as a lasting reference work long after the fair concludes.
The exhibition spaces have been reimagined by designer Matteo Corvino, who, in collaboration with refined furnishings from Minotti, has designed the fair around principles of openness and comfort, utilizing open stands without partition walls to offer a more fluid and elegant visitor experience.
Press and Collector Previews
The doors of Palazzo Corsini will open for an advance preview on Thursday, 24 September, commencing with the official press conference and media preview at 12:00 PM, followed in the evening by the traditional and exclusive BIAF Gala (by invitation only).
BIAF 2026 is held under the patronage of the Region of Tuscany, the City of Florence, the Metropolitan City of Florence, and the Florence Chamber of Commerce; with financial contributions from the Fondazione CR Firenze and the Florence Chamber of Commerce; with Gucci as Main Sponsor, and the support of Liberty Assicurazioni, Minotti, Fratelli Piccini, Marchesi Antinori, Pineider, Villa La Massa, Lorenzo Villoresi, and other partners of excellence.
29 June 2026
