Florence brings Giacomo Balla back into focus at Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni

Florence is hosting a focused exhibition on Giacomo Balla, one of the key figures of Italian Futurism, with two paintings currently on view at Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni, in the historic city centre. The works are presented as part of the ongoing initiative The return of the 20th-century masters of art, which brings selected pieces out of storage and back into public view.

The exhibition, open from mid-January to early March 2026, features Grande serata nera al Salone Margherita. Serata nera (1903–04, circa) and Idealfiamma (1929). Together, the two paintings span different phases of Balla’s career, from his early Divisionist experimentation to the mature Futurist language that defined his later work.

The early canvas reflects Balla’s interest in light, movement and urban nightlife at the start of the 20th century, while Idealfiamma represents a more abstract and symbolic approach, associated with the height of Futurism and bearing the distinctive “FuturBalla” signature. Seen side by side, the works offer a concise overview of how Balla’s visual language evolved over more than two decades.

The paintings are displayed within the Roberto Casamonti Collection, which has been open to the public since 2018 and is housed on the piano nobile of the Renaissance palace designed by Baccio d’Agnolo. The collection is organised in two sections: one dedicated to artists active from the early 20th century to the 1960s, and a second focusing on works from the post-1960 period to the present.

This temporary return of Balla’s works is intended to create a dialogue between these two sections, placing early modern Italian art in conversation with later international figures already on display. The initiative also reflects a broader curatorial approach aimed at periodically reshaping the visitor experience by rotating key works from the collection’s reserves.

Practical information

The exhibition can be visited at Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni, Piazza di Santa Trinita, Florence. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., with last entry at 6.30 p.m. The venue is closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays.

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