Franco Fontana Sets a New Personal Record in Italy
Less than six months after the auction that set the historic record for sales of fine art photography in Italy, Finarte has set another record with Franco Fontana (1933). One of the Modena-based photographer’s unmistakable landscapes—Landscape (1987)—changed hands for over twenty thousand euros (€20,320 including commissions) at the Milan-based auction house’s sale on April 1, 2026. The auction achieved a 95% sell-through rate, similar to that of the record-breaking auction on October 15, 2025.
The sale of Fontana’s work marks a sort of redemption compared to major international names, such as the Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto (1948), holder of the auction record with the top lot Caribbean Sea, 1980 (€40,640). There was also satisfaction for “legends” such as Luigi Ghirri and Gianni Berengo Gardin. It was also the first time in Italy for Desirée Dolron (1963) with Xteriors I, 2001 (€22,860). This auction highlights a clear strategy by the auction house led by Alessandro Guerrini, who, in less than two years since taking office as CEO, has given Finarte a whole new boost: the “safe” names are always there, but at the same time, collectors are offered the chance to expand their horizons with new artists.
The Italian market for fine art photography
As confirmed by the Deloitte Private Art&Finance Italia report, The Photography Market in 2025: Emerging Trends and Dynamics, Finarte alone accounts for 77% of the fine art photography market in Italy. Generally speaking, in Italy, most sales occur in mixed auctions of modern and contemporary art. However, it is in dedicated auctions that higher sales rates are recorded. In 2025, the Italian fine art photography market recorded a turnover of just over one million euros (249 Italian photographers were auctioned). But the polarization of sales is decidedly pronounced: the top 10 artists generate 58.1% of the turnover. Among them is Mario Giacomelli, with 189,298 euros and 104 lots. He is followed by Luigi Ghirri (164,002 euros), who stands out for a higher average price per work.
