From February 7 to 15, 2026, ModenaFiere will host the thirty-ninth edition of Modenantiquaria, an event dedicated toHigh Antiques that over the years has consolidated a central role in the Italian and international exhibition scene. The vernissage is scheduled for Friday, February 6, at 6 p.m., followed by a cocktail reception.
Sponsored by theAssociazione Antiquari d’Italia and FIMA, and also supported for the 2026 edition by Confcommercio Imprese per l’Italia, the National Tourist Board, the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Municipality of Modena and the Chamber of Commerce of Modena, the event celebrates a journey that began nearly four decades ago. It is a milestone that testifies to the continuity of a sector capable of confronting market transformations and contemporary languages, while maintaining firm ties with the tradition of fine antiques. The 2026 edition also marks a significant organizational transition. In fact, Modenantiquaria comes with a new governance: Marte S.r.l., a subsidiary of Confcommercio Modena, takes an active role in the management of the event, with the aim of relaunching its strategic value on an economic and cultural level. An intervention that is part of a history already characterized by a constant capacity for renewal, as shown by the progressive increase in the number of Italian and foreign exhibitors, attracted over time by the authoritativeness and selective profile of the event. An identifying element of the fair remains the quality of the works presented, the result of preparation that involves antiquarians throughout the year. Also for 2026, the symbolic image will be the bust of Francesco I d’Este by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, preserved at the Galleria Estense in Modena, one of the best-known sculptures of the Italian Baroque.
The relationship with the Associazione Antiquari d’Italia (Antiquarian Association of Italy) is also consolidated through the creation of the exhibition Il Ritratto tra Sacro e Profano (Portrait between Sacred and Profane). The project involves twenty galleries, including Botticelli Via Maggio, Carlo Orsi, Cantore Galleria Antiquaria, Galleria d’Arte Frediano Farsetti, Alessandra di Castro, Enrico Ceci, Romano Fine Art, Reve Art and Callisto Fine Art. Each reality will be able to present a work representative of its activity, ranging from paintings, drawings, sculptures, furniture and decorative arts. The exhibition brings together objects differing in age and type, united by a high standard of quality.
The exhibition, curated by architect Consuelo Canducci, takes on a double significance. On the one hand it has an institutional character, with the display of the code of ethics of the Associazione Antiquari d’Italia, a reference shared by all members. On the other hand, it is configured as a project with a strong commercial vocation, defined as a “museum for sale,” in which the exhibition dimension is intertwined with market dynamics. The offer of Modenantiquaria 2026 includes rare works of relevant historical value, in a path that embraces national and international contexts. The participation of leading Italian and foreign galleries is confirmed, with works screened by a committee composed of art historians and specialists of recognized experience. Control over the authenticity and quality of the works remains one of the pillars on which the credibility of the event is based.
Further strengthening the project is a network of partnerships that accompanies the exhibition. Modenantiquaria 2026 will be able to count on the collaboration of Acetaia Malpighi, Big Broker Insurance Group, BolognaFiere, Milano Palace Hotel, Piacere Modena, Ristorante Damedeo, Visitmodena, Modenatur and Modenamoremio, realities that contribute to integrating the event into the economic, tourist and cultural fabric of the area. Special attention is also paid to the exhibition design, conceived as an integral part of the visiting experience. The exhibition design focuses on elegance and harmony, with the aim of enhancing the works and encouraging a direct dialogue between gallery owners and the public.
Carlo Orsi, Piva & C., Altomani & Sons, Cantore Galleria Antiquaria, Longari Arte Milano, Maurizio Nobile Fine Art, Fondantico di Tiziana Sassoli, Reve Art, Mirco Cattai Gallery, Cortona Fine Art, Enrico Gallerie d’Arte, Tornabuoni Arte, Attilio Cecchetto Antiquario, Subert, Verdini Antiquariato, Studiolo Fine Art, Antiquities Giglio, Milani Antiques, Iotti Antiques by Stefano Iotti, 800 - 900 Artstudio, Renzo Moroni, Phidias Antiques, Roberto Ducci Gallery, Alice Fine Art, Cesaro Art Gallery, Maurizio Brandi Antiques, Galleria d’Orlane, Raffaello Pernici - Best Ceramics, Ars Antiqua, Antiquities at the Oratory, Galleria d’ Arte del Caminetto, Giovanni Asioli Martini, Galleria Antiquaria Camellini, Galleria Le Due Torri, Butterfly Institute Fine Art, Arcuti Fine Art, Fine Art Barbieri, Mattarte, Antiquities La Pieve, Bottega d’Arte, Goldoni Art Gallery, Quadreria dell’800, Galleria San Barnaba, Lanfranco Donatone, Sine Tempore Studio, R.V. Art Gallery Studio, Antiquities A.M. Marcelli of Luigi Minelli, Matheus Gallery, Giusti Antiquities, Gallery 900, Ossimoro Art Gallery, Viezzi Arte, Santa Barbara Art Gallery, E.L.A. Antiquities, Antiquities G.N. by Luciano Guagenti, Antiques Scarapazzi, Galleria Sinigaglia, Federico Andrisani, B&Facchini Antique Galerie, Paolo Campopiano, Della Scala Antiquities, Bentivegna Art Gallery, Roberto Centrella’s Art Decoratif, Mason Gallery by Mason Leandro, Antiques Par Force, Antiques Fabrizio Fallavena, Longo Antiques, La Bagatelle Antiques, Bertacchi Orfeo Antiques, Il Mercante Antiques, Atelier du Bois, I Volpini Antiques & Interiors, Bulgarelli Fausto, Antiqua.
“The important adhesions to the exhibition, the interest that the world of information is showing, and the growing enthusiasm on the part of the organizational structure,” says Tommaso Leone, president of Marte srl and Confcommercio Modena, “convince me that Modenantiquaria will be confirmed as Italy’s most prestigious and authoritative, capable of bringing together galleries of great prestige with collectors, enthusiasts and art dealers; at the same time, I am sure, we will win the challenge of strengthening the link with Modena, its history, its cultural and tourist excellences, thus offering visitors and exhibitors an all-round experience that only the Modena area can offer.”
Alberto Crepaldi, organizational director of Modenantiquaria and Secretary General of Confcommercio Modena, wishes to emphasize how “the operation to rescue and relaunch Modenantiquaria was made possible by virtue of a formidable team effort with the decisive support of the Modena Municipal Administration, the Chamber of Commerce of Modena and our national Confederation led by Carlo Sangalli: it is mainly thanks to these partnerships that we are working optimistically on the present of Modenantiquaria and already reflecting on its future.”
“Modena, with its history, discreet elegance and passion for culture, is the ideal place for an event like this. Modenantiquaria is not just an exhibition: it is a constant dialogue between collectors and experts, a bridge between past and present,” says Pietro Cantore, Vice President of the Associazione Antiquari d’Italia and Art Director of the Event. “A work of ancient art is not just an object to be treasured for its aesthetic value, it carries with it a story that spans the centuries and continues to surprise the observer. It is a duty to safeguard works in order to pass them on to future generations: in this, the art market plays a key role. As evidenced by analysts, in contrast to the art market in general, Old Masters had quite significant sales growth in 2025. This proves that enthusiasts and collectors who have never bought for fashion, but for the quality and rarity of the objects, now more than ever rely on works of art of true value, historicized over the centuries. Following this trend, quality antiques exhibitions, like the one in Modena, are becoming more and more consolidated over the decades.”
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| Modenantiquaria 2026, the XXXIX edition of the High Antiques in Modena |
The author of this article: Noemi Capoccia
Originaria di Lecce, classe 1995, ha conseguito la laurea presso l'Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara nel 2021. Le sue passioni sono l'arte antica e l'archeologia. Dal 2024 lavora in Finestre sull'Arte.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.
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