Romano Fine Art

About Us

We are siblings grown up in a family of art dealers, today in its fourth generation. We have been collaborating with our father Simone since 1999 at the Galleria Ottaviani in Florence, which was founded in 1969 and located in the elegant and prestigious Piazza Ognissanti.

We deal with collectors, connoisseurs, art enthusiasts and experts selling paintings, sculpture, drawings and works of art. We started specialising in Master Drawings in 2005 and since 2011 we have participated in the most important International art fairs such as the Biennale Internazionale dell’Antiquariato di Firenze (BIAF); Modenantiquaria ; Master Drawings in New York; the London Art Week (LAW); the Parisian Cercle des Beaux-Arts Rive Gauche, exhibiting annually since 2012  at the “Alexandre Piatti Antiquités” in rue de Lille. We curate the publication of detailed drawings catalogues with the collaboration of the most respected scholars and art critics.

Grateful to our great grandfather Salvatore whom in 1946 donated a Museum to the city of Florence, and to our grandfather Francesco, who was among the founders of the Associazione Antiquari d’Italia in 1959, we follow the family tradition according to its canons and spirit.

Maria Novella Romano sits on the board of Directors of the same Association since November 2019.

We count among our clients Italian and International Museums, Foundations and private collectors.

Fine art dealers in Florence

We do this job because it is in our DNA
and because we love it

1st Generation

Our great-grandfather, Salvatore Romano (Meta Di Sorrento 1875 - Florence 1955) – was a sea captain in Genoa, who fell in love with art and the antiques. Over the years, through his growing passion, he became one of the leading antiques dealers of his time. He moved to Florence in 1920 and built up strong relationships with the most prominent experts, art historians, collectors and museum curators from all over the world. He donated a museum to the Florence Municipality in 1946, the result of a singled out selection of sculptures, stony fragments, architectural decorations and detached frescoes, from numerous eras – from Roman antiquity to the XVI century, including masterpieces by Tino da Camaino and Donatello. The Salvatore Romano Foundation can now be visited in the Refectory of Santo Spirito, adjacent to the church.

2nd Generation

Our grandfather Francesco (Naples 1910 – Florence 1981) was handed over the baton and strengthened the relations with institutions, museums, Italian and foreign collectors, who were welcomed at home, on the piano nobile of Palazzo Magnani Feroni in Via Dei Serragli. He was one of the founders of the Italian Antiquarian Association (Associazione Antiquari d’Italia) in 1959: an institution that still represents our category of professionals both in Italy and abroad.

3rd Generation

Our father Simone carried on the tradition adding a modern, more dynamic approach. He started off with his brothers Paolo and Alessandro in the historic family gallery in Borgo Ognissanti, but later founded his own business in 1969; he called it “Galleria Ottaviani” and was initially located in Via dei Fossi, which then moved to the current location in Piazza Ognissanti.

4th Generation

Maria Novella e Mattia rappresentano la quarta generazione. Lei laureata in Storia dell'Arte Contemporanea presso L’Università degli Studi di Firenze - inizia a lavorare con il padre Simone alla fine degli anni ’90. Lui laureato in Economia e Gestione dei Servizi Turistici entra, dopo poco, a collaborare nella Galleria Ottaviani. Entrambi possono vantare corsi di aggiornamento tra cui uno stage per lo studio del disegno antico condotto presso Sotheby’s Londra, sotto la supervisione di Cristiana Romalli - Senior Director and Senior Specialist.

Explore the Salvatore Romano Foundation

“To honour the memory of my father Francesco Romano/ and my birthplace/ Meta di Sorrento/ I gift to the city of Florence these works of art, collected by me with love and patience/ thankful for the enduring hospitality/Salvatore Romano/ a.d.mcmxlvi”

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