Italian Collector Vittorio Gaddi on Building a 400-Piece Contemporary Art Collection

Vittorio Gaddi, one of Italy's most esteemed contemporary art collectors, began collecting in the mid-1990s, initially to furnish a country house near Vorno in Lucca. His collection, now around 400 works, is housed in a villa transformed into a museum. Gaddi, a notary by profession, notes that many artists including Leonardo da Vinci and Marcel Duchamp were sons of notaries. His first acquisitions were a black marble sculpture from Belgium and a large watercolor by Giò Pomodoro, bought directly from the artist. A key influence was Venetian gallerist Bruna Aickelin of Galleria Il Capricorno, whom he met in 1997. His latest purchase is a video by Sin Wai Kin, acquired at Art Basel from Soft Opening gallery, which won the Baloise Art Prize. Gaddi prioritizes quality over medium, collecting paintings, sculptures, installations, and videos. He buys from Italian and international galleries, favoring young but established artists. He attends fairs like Art Basel, Paris+, Artissima, and miart, and is a patron of Palazzo Strozzi and a member of the Quadriennale di Roma's Friends. He is also part of the Collective association, which awards a prize for artists under 35 in collaboration with Castello di Rivoli; the first winner was Alice Visentin. Gaddi does not plan to donate his collection to a public institution, preferring to let his heirs decide. He enjoys the privileges of being a recognized collector but criticizes the market's focus on trendy artists with inflated prices.