The annual Works of Exceptional Historical and Artistic Interest auction—now the only regular event of its kind in Italy dedicated exclusively to masterpieces of outstanding historical and artistic importance—returns on 1 October 2026, coinciding with the International Biennale of Antiques in Florence. During these days, Florence will once again confirm its role as the leading international destination for collectors, scholars, and connoisseurs of Old Master paintings and works of art, with particular emphasis on the great Italian artistic tradition.

This year's catalogue is distinguished by the exceptional quality and prestige of its selection. At the heart of the sale is an important group of Old Master paintings, complemented by a refined selection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century works, including a superb bronze sculpture by Libero Andreotti and an oil sketch by Giuseppe Bezzuoli. The catalogue is further enriched by two exceptionally rare autograph manuscripts by Guido Reni and Francesco Albani, together with an autograph drawing by Carlo Dolci.

Carefully assembled for its artistic quality, historical importance, and rarity, the collection spans five centuries, from the fifteenth to the twentieth century, offering collectors a remarkable opportunity to acquire works of extraordinary significance.

Among the paintings expected to attract particular attention are several rare Italian Renaissance panels, including the refined and highly distinctive Adoration of the Magi by the Pseudo Donato de' Bardi, alongside the monumental Saint Roch Tending the Lepers by Mirabello Cavalori, the rare and erudite painter best known for his contributions to the Studiolo of Francesco I de' Medici.

Continuing with Florentine Mannerist painting, the sale will feature a delicate panel of the Holy Family by the Master of the Kress Landscapes, now universally identified as Giovanni di Lorenzo Larciani, one of the most original and unconventional artists active in the early sixteenth century. This distinguished group of sixteenth-century Florentine panels is further enhanced by a previously unpublished and elegant Saint John at the Spring by Alessandro Allori, a work that exemplifies the artist's remarkable draftsmanship and perfectly balanced composition.

Special mention must also be made of a Deposition of Christ by Antonio Allegri, known as Correggio, a precious oil on canvas dating from the artist's early period and representing a significant milestone in the development of his extraordinary career.

Among the masterpieces from the historic Barberini Collection are two works of exceptional importance: the monumental Baroque canvas Jacob and Laban Making the Covenant by Pietro Berrettini, known as Pietro da Cortona, and the evocative Death of Saint Jerome by Ludovico Carracci.

Seventeenth-century Florentine painting is represented by another outstanding work: a sumptuous and previously unpublished Saint Cecilia with Two Angels by Giovanni Mannozzi, known as Giovanni da San Giovanni, one of the few Florentine masters to engage meaningfully with the language of Caravaggio while reinterpreting it with originality and refined restraint.

As customary, the pre-sale exhibition will be held at our headquarters in Palazzo Ramirez Montalvo from 24 to 30 September, open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. We look forward to welcoming you to share our passion for art, the pleasure of discovery, and the excitement of collecting, in a journey celebrating the enduring values of beauty and artistic excellence.

For further information regarding the auction, please feel free to contact us at: dipintiantichi@pandolfini.it