The 64th edition of Cortonantiquaria will take place from August 29 to September 13, 2026, in the historic spaces of the Sant’Agostino Conference Center in Cortona, at Via Guelfa 40. The National Antiques Fair, founded in 1963 and held annually in late summer, brings together over twenty exhibitors offering a selection that includes furniture, silverware, jewelry, rugs, ceramics and majolica, paintings, and sculptures. The event has been directed for many years by Furio Velona and is sponsored by the Municipality of Cortona together with Cortona Sviluppo, with the support of the Chamber of Commerce, Banca Popolare di Cortona, Bonifiche Ferraresi, and Studio Iureconsulti.
This year’s selection spans different eras and fields within the world of antiques. Among the featured pieces is a rare Heriz-Serapi carpet from the second half of the 19th century, originating from the small town of Heriz, the capital of an important weaving center in Azerbaijan in northwestern Persia. Heriz rugs are characterized by geometric patterns that blend with the traditional floral decorations typical of Persian production.
Among the objects on display is also a ceremonial cup made of carved and engraved bone, featuring a coat of arms on one side and a griffin on the other, originating from France and dating to the 15th–16th centuries. Also on display is an entire collection of wax fruits and flowers, created for academic purposes around the early 20th century and characterized by the reproduction of mold and small imperfections intended to lend the pieces greater realism. In addition, there is an 18th-century Genoese mannequin, fully articulated and with a polychrome face, depicting a processional Madonna. The exhibition also features a majestic 17th-century sacristy cabinet with lacquer and period paintings, as well as a Venetian-style ivory crucifix of Christ, carved and engraved in the early 15th century. The model for the latter is based on a 14th-century bronze now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The exhibition also features numerous other antique objects.
Alongside the exhibition, the Cortonantiquaria program features various events throughout the city. Among the events is the world premiere of *Notre-Dame de Paris –Opera Musical*, a new production featuring original music and lyrics, a new dramatic structure, and an original visual identity, conceived based on Victor Hugo’s famous novel and developed as a contemporary theatrical experience. Also scheduled is a concert by Pupo, the songwriter and performer behind numerous Italian pop hits that have gained international recognition.
The schedule also includes a session with Studio Iureconsulti focused on the new regulations regarding value thresholds for the export of antique items—a topic of particular interest to buyers, collectors, and industry professionals. Genoese antiquarian Pietro Porcelli will be the featured guest at an event dedicated to the story of an imaginary collection belonging to an art enthusiast. Rounding out the program are a concert for piano and voice and the play *La foto delcarabiniere*.
The CortonAntiquaria Award also returns; it is awarded annually to a prominent figure with ties to the city who is deemed particularly deserving. For 2026, the award will be presented to Professor Massimo Massetti, Full Professor of Cardiac Surgery and Director of the Institute of Cardiology, the Cardiac Surgery Department, and the Cardiovascular Division at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart - Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic IRCCS Foundation in Rome.
The Cortonantiquaria Art Award, on the other hand, will be presented to Gallerie d’Italia and accepted by Tito Nocentini, Regional Director for Tuscany and Umbria at Intesa Sanpaolo. The Cortonantiquaria Gino Severini Special Prize will go to Giuliana Castellani Koch, an essayist and cultural educator active in Italy and the United States.
Finally, for this edition as well, travelers and tourists arriving in Cortona via Trenitalia—the initiative’s technical partner—will once again be able to access the event with a discounted ticket. This discount applies to regional, Intercity, and Frecciarossa trains.
“Sixty-four editions are proof that Cortona and the antiques world have something special to share together,” says the mayor of Cortona, Luciano Meoni. “Cortonantiquaria has successfully combined prestige, quality, and continuity, becoming a nationally and internationally recognized landmark in a city that, with its unique historical and artistic heritage, is the ideal setting to host works and exhibitors of the highest caliber. Ours is a city that thrives on art all year round, and for this occasion, it transforms into the beating heart of the collecting world, welcoming interested tourists from all over the world.”
“It is no coincidence that Cortonantiquaria was born and has grown right here,” emphasizes Francesco Attesti, Councilor for Culture of the City of Cortona. “The city doesn’t simply host an antiques fair—it embodies it. Its stones, its squares, and its palaces already tell the story of a time that has been frozen in place to be admired: precisely the spirit that has animated this event since its very first edition. Side events featuring music, culture, and current affairs round out the program for the two-week run and foster intergenerational dialogue by appealing to audiences of all ages.”
“Year after year, the fair reaffirms its ability to serve as a guide to an aesthetic sensibility that, even in the contemporary world, values history and continuity—the wonder of an object that will take on a new life, new value, and new meanings,” comments Furio Velona, artistic director of Cortonantiquaria. “It is our pleasure to bring to the public’s attention something rare—something that can become part of our homes or the spaces where we live and work.”
“In the cloister of the Sant’Agostino Conference Center, for those of us who work on the setup day by day, it’s a new discovery every year,” says Fabio Procacci, director of Cortona Sviluppo. “Welcoming the antique dealers with their cargo of precious objects, marveling at items you can’t find anywhere else, and then seeing the halls come alive during the exhibition period is always a new experience, one that shows just how much of a future there still is for everything connected to history.”
HOURS:
Monday through Friday: 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
ADMISSION:
Full Price: 10.00 euros | Reduced Price: 7.00 euros
 |
| CortonAntiquaria 2026: The historic antiques fair returns to Cortona from August 29 to September 13 |
Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.
IT
FR
DE
ES
CN
