Alberto Burri works return to Florence at Roberto Casamonti Collection

Three works by Italian artist Alberto Burri will go on display in Florence from May 13 to June 27, 2026, as part of the exhibition series The Return of the Masters of the 20th Century at the Roberto Casamonti Collection in Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni. 

The exhibition marks the final chapter of an initiative launched in 2025 to temporarily bring back works from the collection’s first section, dedicated to art from the early 20th century to the 1960s. The selected pieces are presented in dialogue with the museum’s permanent display focused on contemporary art from the 1960s onwards. 

Alberto Burri and Informal art

The show focuses on Burri’s experimentation with unconventional materials, one of the defining elements of post-war Italian Informal art. The three works on display date from the 1950s and 1960 and include Sacco (1952), made with burlap, oil and banknotes; Rosso nero (1955), combining fabric, oil and glue; and Combustione (1960), created using paper, acrylic and burned fabric. 

Burri is considered one of the most influential Italian artists of the post-war period. His use of industrial and everyday materials helped redefine painting in Europe during the second half of the 20th century.

The Roberto Casamonti Collection

The Roberto Casamonti Collection opened to the public in 2018 inside Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni, the Renaissance palace designed by architect Baccio d’Agnolo in Piazza Santa Trinita, in Florence’s historic centre. The collection includes Italian and international artists ranging from Alighiero Boetti and Michelangelo Pistoletto to Andy Warhol, Marina Abramović and Jean-Michel Basquiat. 

The museum is divided into two sections. One focuses on works from the first half of the 20th century, while the second — currently on display — presents works created from the 1960s to the early 21st century. 

Visiting information

The exhibition is open from 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 museum is closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays. Guided tours are available by reservation for groups of at least five people.

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