FLORENCE.- Tornabuoni Arte – Arte Antica is preparing to open the doors to its newest annual presentation of historical masterpieces. On Saturday, 29 November 2025, at 5:30 pm, the gallery’s Florence space on Via Maggio will debut the catalogue Ancient Paintings and Furnishings 2025, accompanied by an exhibition that charts a thoughtful journey through several centuries of European art.

The new selection brings together standout works recently acquired by the gallery, spanning sacred Renaissance imagery, refined Baroque painting, rare sculpture, and exquisite historic furniture. Together, the pieces form a kind of curated time capsule—one that reflects both the evolution of taste and the enduring appeal of exceptional craftsmanship.

Among the earliest highlights is a serene Nativity with the Infant Saint John by the enigmatic Pseudo Pier Francesco Fiorentino, an artist active in the late 15th century. Rendered in tempera on panel, the work is a model of balance and grace. The Virgin cradles the Christ Child while Joseph looks on, their faces described with the delicate modelling typical of the Florentine Quattrocento. Nearby, a double-sided panel of Saint Sebastian by Lattanzio di Niccolò di Liberatore offers another glimpse into early Renaissance spirituality, its front depicting the saint in an elegant contrapposto and the reverse adorned with a monochrome decorative motif on red.

The 16th century appears prominently, beginning with Innocenzo da Imola’s intimate Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine (c. 1540–1545). Conceived for private devotion, its gently geometric figures and restrained palette reveal the painter’s refined Bolognese sensibility. Two portraits by Girolamo Siciolante da Sermoneta further showcase the century’s sophistication—most notably his incisive likeness of Cardinal Pietro Bembo, a work that distills Michelangelesque classicism into sharp psychological presence.

Moving into the Baroque era, the exhibition features a Danaë attributed to the circle of Padovanino, a sumptuous reinterpretation of Titian’s celebrated composition. The work’s golden light and soft modelling heighten its sensuous drama. Visitors will also encounter Bartolomeo Gennari’s Portrait of Giulio Buratti, a commanding depiction of the sitter in full armour, and a 17th-century Venus at Her Mirror after Titian, rendered with remarkable attention to skin tones, textiles, and jewellery.

Still life and mythological scenes expand the presentation’s breadth. A lush floral panel by Andrea Scacciati exemplifies the precision of Florentine still-life painting, while Antonio Zanchi’s dynamic Abduction of Deianira demonstrates Venetian Baroque theatricality at its height.

The path through the exhibition continues into the 18th century’s city views and genre scenes before arriving at the 19th century with the evocative maritime work Shipwreck of Camoens. Sculpture is also well represented, including a Mannerist Putto with Dolphin, its lively modelling recalling early Renaissance ideals.

Complementing the paintings and sculptures is a wide selection of fine period furniture—sideboards, tables, and other pieces designed for the grand interiors of their time. Rare decorative objects, such as a 15th-century urn-shaped chest linked to Bishop Jacopo Vagnucci and a 16th-century funerary ark bearing noble coats of arms, round out the gallery’s “modern Wunderkammer.”

In a global art market that increasingly privileges rarity and impeccable provenance, Tornabuoni Arte’s 2025 collection reinforces the gallery’s commitment to quality and historical depth. The exhibition offers visitors not only a visual feast, but also a rare chance to encounter works seldom seen outside private collections—and to rediscover centuries of artistic heritage in one cohesive, beautifully curated setting.