Italian Modern and Contemporary Art Auctions H1 2026: Selective Market, Quality Prevails
During the first half of 2026, the Italian market for modern and contemporary art saw a minor decrease in sales, totaling €52.5 million, a 3% drop compared to the same period in 2025. However, the sell-through rate rose to 75%, suggesting a more discerning group of buyers. This trend mirrors the global market, where leading auctions amassed $6.8 billion, reflecting a 70% increase from the previous year. The highest-priced piece in Italy was Lucio Fontana's 'Concetto spaziale, Attese' at €1.792 million, closely followed by Giorgio Morandi's 'Natura morta' (1921) at €1.722 million. FarsettiArte noted that 30% of buyers were from abroad, with an increasing interest in Second Futurism and provenance, indicating market stabilization amid uncertainties.
Key facts
- Italian modern and contemporary art auctions in H1 2026 totaled approximately €52.5 million, down 3% from H1 2025.
- Sell-through rate rose to 75%, indicating a more selective market.
- Top lot: Lucio Fontana's 'Concetto spaziale, Attese' sold for €1.792 million at Sotheby's.
- Giorgio Morandi's 'Natura morta' (1921) fetched €1.722 million at FarsettiArte.
- Giorgio de Chirico's 'Niobe' (1921) sold for €387,100 at Finarte.
- International auction houses Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips generated $6.8 billion in H1 2026, up 70% year-over-year.
- FarsettiArte reported 30% international buyers.
- Sotheby's Milan noted strong international demand for Italian artists like Fontana, Burri, Morandi, Accardi, and de Chirico.
Entities
Artists
- Lucio Fontana
- Giorgio Morandi
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Carla Accardi
- Mario Schifano
- Franco Angeli
- Giulio Turcato
- Giuseppe Capogrossi
- Mario Ceroli
- Fausto Melotti
- Valerio Adami
- Piero Dorazio
- Nobuo Sekine
- Nicolaj Diulgheroff
- Josef Albers
- Marc Chagall
- Antonio Ligabue
- Enzo Cucchi
- Igor Mitoraj
- Alberto Burri
- Jackson Pollock
- Constantin Brâncuși
- de Pisis
- Carlo Carrà
- Alighiero Boetti
- Arnaldo Pomodoro
- Giorgio Griffa
Institutions
- Collezione da Tiffany
- ArtTactic
- Christie's
- Sotheby's
- Phillips
- Art Basel & UBS
- Arteconomy24
- FarsettiArte
- Martini Arte
- Il Ponte
- Finarte
- Capitolium Art
- Bertolami Fine Art
- Boetto
- Meeting Art
- Wannenes
- Cambi
- Pandolfini
- Blindarte
- Sotheby's Milano
Locations
- Italy
- London
- United Kingdom
- Milan
- Prato