Italian collector Annibale Berlingieri dies at unknown age

Annibale Berlingieri, a prominent Italian collector who began acquiring contemporary art in the 1960s under the guidance of Giuseppe Panza di Biumo, has died. He built a collection that blended Renaissance paintings and gold-ground works with pieces by Andy Warhol, Alberto Burri, Dan Flavin, Jeff Koons, Subodh Gupta, Mario Airò, and Maurizio Mochetti. Berlingieri displayed his collection across multiple residences: an apartment in Rome, a masseria in San Basilio (Basilicata), and most recently Palazzo Mazzarino in Palermo. His passion for contemporary art was initially met with resistance from his father, who threatened to disinherit him. Over time, he passed on his enthusiasm to his daughter Lidia, son-in-law Piervittorio, and granddaughter Aloisia. At Palazzo Mazzarino, his daughter Marialda oversaw the restoration of Baroque interiors, and since 2017 the collection has included Giovanni Boldini's portrait of Donna Franca Florio, which Berlingieri bought at auction to bring back to Palermo. Berlingieri was known for his discretion, refined taste, and support for emerging talents.