We are pleased to present the new Modern and Contemporary Art Auction, a journey through one of the most significant artistic experiences in Europe from the late 19th century to the present day.
Lot 84, Hermann Nitsch’s 2006 work “SII/6”, rightfully holds the cover of our auction for its expressive power and the historical importance of the artist. Nitsch, founder of Viennese Actionism, explored the ritual dimension of art, merging theatrical elements, action painting and physical participation into a unique artistic whirlwind. His canvases are the result of true performances and become the testimony of a liberated painting that does not merely represent, but happens, breaking boundaries in an unparalleled emotional impulse. Acquiring this masterpiece means not only owning a work of immense value but becoming a witness to an all-encompassing artistic journey.
Lot 78 by Piero Dorazio undoubtedly stands among the highlights of the auction. It is a historic 1957 work on paper by the Master of Italian lyrical abstraction, also featured in Lot 77 with another artwork from a later period (2000), titled “Cantata Terza.” Dorazio presents a piece of intense chromatic vibration where color becomes light, rhythm, and architecture. Dorazio remains one of the most influential artists in bridging American avant-garde and European sensibility.
The auction continues with the exceptional table-sculpture by Pierre Fernandez Arman, an emblem of the Nouveau Réalisme movement. With this work, Arman transforms the everyday object into art through accumulations of string instruments, dissections, and replications, creating a unique piece of furniture that embellishes the living space with a true work of art.
Lot 82 features a large-scale work by master Tano Festa, a central figure of the Scuola di Piazza del Popolo. “Omaggio al Colore” is an emblematic piece in which the language of Italian Pop Art explores color as a conceptual and poetic field.
Lot 85 presents a large-scale work by Bologna master Piero Manai, “Composizione,” an explosion of color where paint entirely covers the canvas, revealing the most modern and expressive side of still-life representation.
Lot 69 showcases an artwork by Frans Krajcberg, a Brazilian artist of Polish origin and representative of Arte Povera, celebrated for his paintings and sculptures made from natural, carbonized materials. His works are both ecological and poetic manifestos, where material power detaches from the canvas, creating Krajcberg’s unmistakable signature—a radical return to the essence of artistic creation using humble materials and essential forms.
Also worthy of mention is Lot 81, a composition by Bologna artist Sergio Romiti, a historical piece from the late 1950s exhibited at the 1960 Venice Biennale. The work has been featured in countless important exhibitions and appears in several publications. It is a painting of great historical relevance—introverted, silent, elegant—and it fully expresses the master’s refined style, embodying the sophisticated taste of post-war Italian painting.
The Bolognese school is splendidly represented by a rich selection of painters, including Lot 100 by Raffaele Faccioli, an artwork from the late 19th century. In this depiction of everyday life, Faccioli’s delicate painting grazes the faces and garments with a rare chromatic sensitivity.
The exploration of the Bolognese school continues with Lot 102 by Augusto Majani, known as Nasica, a versatile and refined artist. The work is accompanied by its preparatory sketch, Lot 101, enriching it with a unique element.
Among the most relevant authors of the Bologna tradition stands Carlo Corsi with the early 1920s work “L’attesa” (Lot 74), exhibited in the show “Maestri Bolognesi” at Galleria Farini in 1975. The elegantly bored woman leaning against a set table captures the viewer through the delicacy of her pose and the refined flower vase, described by critics as an element of rare technical skill and expressive effectiveness.
Lots 103 and 104 are catalogued works by Maestro Corsi, whose intense painting conveys the emotional depth of the human condition: the sweetness of the female figure contrasts with the carved, intense expression of the elderly man.
Enriching Fidelis’s pre-Christmas auction are four works by Sergio Romiti (Lots 27, 28, 111, 126), donated by the owners to Fondazione ANT—a gesture that unites art and solidarity, reinforcing the bond between culture and civic commitment.
This auction presents itself as an articulate, high-level journey through the schools and languages that have shaped international, European, and regional art history—an unmissable event for collectors, enthusiasts, and art lovers.
