Sotheby’s Milan is closing out the season with an event of major historical and artistic significance: An Italian Collecting Journey: 16th–20th Century Paintings and Decorative Arts, a prestigious auction to be held in two sessions on September 25 and 26. The exhibition, opening to the public on September 17, features a private collection of extraordinary value that celebrates the excellence of Italian art from the Renaissance through the 20th century. It is a true “journey through time,” telling the visual story of Italy across four centuries of creativity. It is, in essence, a “portrait of the peninsula”— “in all its richness and diversity, an exploration of identity through art, where virtuosity meets imagination. It shows how, over the centuries, Italian creativity has never ceased to inspire innovation, wonder, and admiration,” says Mario Tavella, Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe and President of Sotheby’s France. Each work has been selected not only for its rarity and quality but also for its significance within a broader context exploring the evolution of Italian art, culture, and society. The collection is divided into thematic sub-collections spanning a wide range of periods and styles, including noble portraits, monumental views, still lifes, and numerous examples of aristocratic decorative arts.