by Redazione 17/10/2026

Enrico Lombardi, a gallery owner and founder of Galleria Lombardi in 1977, has passed away in Rome at the age of 71. He dedicated nearly fifty years to promoting Italian figurative art and its leading figures.

Enrico Lombardi, a legendary Roman gallery owner who for nearly half a century contributed to the understanding and promotion of 20th-century Italian painting, passed away yesterday, October 16, at the age of 71. As the founder of Galleria Lombardi, which opened in 1977, he forged his own path through research into figurative art, direct relationships with artists, and intense cultural promotion, becoming a key figure in the capital’s art scene. Born in Rome in 1955, Lombardi had opened his gallery at its historic location at Via del Babuino 70. In the decades that followed, he navigated the transformations of the Italian art market and exhibition system, maintaining a recognizable curatorial vision characterized by independent curatorial choices and a focus on artists and their works.

His career began in the field of international graphic art, with exhibitions dedicated to Giorgio de Chirico, Pablo Picasso, and Wifredo Lam, as well as works by Lucian Freud and leading figures of Surrealism. At the same time, his interest in Italian painting developed, fueled by his relationships with artists such as Renato Guttuso, Fausto Pirandello, Ennio Calabria, and Renzo Vespignani. From the mid-1980s onward, Lombardi focused his work entirely on painting, delving in particular into the Roman School, the major figures of the 20th century, and the explorations of younger generations.

Italian figurative art remained at the center of his practice, accompanied by the conviction that painting should maintain a living connection with the history, society, and sensibilities of its time. This stance was reflected in his selection of artists and in the continuity of a body of work aimed at keeping the spotlight on artistic experiences that often need to be reinterpreted in light of the transformations of the contemporary art scene.

Alongside his exhibition activities, Lombardi participated in Rome’s cultural life and in the initiatives of industry associations. His involvement in ARGAM—the Roman Association of Modern Art Galleries—and in other professional organizations fostered dialogue among artists, critics, and art professionals. Together with Luigi Martini, Enrico Crispolti, Ennio Calabria, and Guido Strazza, he founded the association “Roma per l’Arte, ” taking part in the cultural debate and initiatives of a significant period for the city. Representing the National Art Galleries Association, he also participated in hearings at the Chamber of Deputies dedicated to the regulation of the arts sector.

In recent years, he had embarked on a new phase of his curatorial work, thanks in part to his collaboration with the Fondazione Terzo Pilastro – Internazionale. In 2022, he presented the exhibition *The Fabulous ’60s and ’70s in Milan* at the Auditorium della Conciliazione in Rome, dedicated to a pivotal period in Italian artistic exploration. In 2024, she organized *Figuration of the ’60s and ’70s*, hosted at the San Salvatore in Lauro Museums and curated together with her son Lorenzo. The exhibition refocused attention on a pivotal period for Italian painting and sculpture, in line with the interests that had guided Lombardi’s work for decades.

Meanwhile, the Lombardi Gallery had continued its operations at its location at 40 Via di Monte Giordano, where it had moved in 2015. Lorenzo Lombardi had taken over as artistic director, carrying on his father’s vision through an intergenerational partnership rooted in a shared passion for art. Enrico had continued to curate initiatives dedicated to key figures of the late 20th century, from the exhibition *La poetica della luce*(The Poetics of Light), dedicated to Riccardo Guarneri in 2024, to the project *Segni dell’anima*(Signs of the Soul), which featured exhibitions on Antonio Sanfilippo and Carla Accardi between 2025 and 2026. In the spring of 2026, he also curated the exhibition *Mario Schifano. Io guardo*. In November 2022, he was also the featured guest at a *Martedì Critici* event at the *Pio Sodalizio dei Piceni* in Rome, an occasion for discussion about his career and the gallery’s role in the city’s artistic life.

With the passing of Enrico Lombardi, we have lost a figure who interpreted the role of the gallery owner as an endeavor capable of uniting research, critical engagement, and cultural responsibility. His work helped keep the spotlight on the artists and styles of 20th-century Italian painting through exhibitions, collaborations, and initiatives aimed at fostering an understanding of a complex period in art history. His legacy will live on through the Lombardi Gallery and the work of his son Lorenzo, continuing a tradition built over nearly fifty years. His passing leaves a void in Rome’s artistic community and among those who shared a long professional and personal journey with him.

The funeral service will be held on Monday, October 19, at 11:30 a.m. at the Church of Santa Maria in Montesanto—known as the “Artists’ Church”—in Piazza del Popolo in Rome.

Farewell to Enrico Lombardi, the legendary Roman gallery owner

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.