Remembering Bianca Attolico, a Fearless Roman Collector

Alessandra Mammì pays tribute to Bianca Attolico, a Roman collector known for her bluntness and passion for art. Attolico built a sui generis collection that mixed young artists with Roman school paintings inherited from her father, alongside historical avant-garde and forgotten artists later rediscovered by the market. She hosted Friday evening salons at her home, inviting critics, curators, and museum directors for food and quizzes about artworks. She attended every opening despite mobility issues and freely commented from the front row. Mammì describes her as a free spirit who loved artists more than gallerists, took risks on emerging talents, and negotiated discounts. Attolico believed the art world was cannibalizing itself and that the financial circus of fairs and auctions was killing the spirit that drove her collection. She died recently; her passing marks the loss of a passionate collector who dared to speak her mind.