History

Copetti Antiquari are Giorgio Copetti, who founded the enterprise in 1982, and his 2 sons Ernesto and Massimo. They originated as antique dealers with their head office in the medieval city of Cividale del Friuli, they specialised in Early Art sculptures and paintings from the Austrian-Veneto area. In 2006 they moved to the historic centre of Udine. Dealing in 20th century artworks, which had until then been sporadic and occasional, became more systematic. Over the course of a few years, the expertise in art history and materials gained by the Copetti family allowed them to reach a new a high level of specialisation in 20th Century Italian sculpture. Although they are still active in the antiques world, since their transfer to Udine the Copettis have made a name for themselves among galleries that deal in Modern and Contemporary art. They have begun to take part in prestigious trade fairs in Italy and abroad: the Permanente and the Milan Mint, the Rome Biennale, the ModenAntiquaria, Wop Art Lugano, the Brussels Brafa. Over the years they have regularly taken part in the Florence BIAF-Biennale dell’antiquariato, Artefiera Bologna, MIart Milan.

Among the artists that the gallery represents today are prominent names in Italian and international art of the post war period. The selection at the core of what the Copetti family offers isn’t dictated by fashion or market trends. On the contrary, the Copetti choices come from the pleasure of rediscovering and the desire to relaunch great 20th century artists who haven’t had the recognition they deserve on the market.

In the summer of 2018 they opened a new exhibition space: the sculpture park “Braida Copetti”, an estate of 15,000m2 in the municipality of Premariacco (a few kilometres from Udine), made up from two abandoned fields that had been reclaimed with the intention of transforming them into an open air museum.

Over a period of ten years, the space was planted with over two thousand specimens of about 50 species of trees, following a very clear architectural design. Since 2018 the space has been filled with large works of art, by different artists using a variety of materials (bronze, marble, concrete, steel), created by major contemporary artists and masters of the 20th century, both Italian and international.

In their “Braida”, exhibitions and events are organised, promoting different forms of art (painting, photography, music, theatre…) and cultural links in collaboration with local authorities, the “Nuovo Giovanni Theatre” in Udine, museums, schools and universities.

The Copettis are members of the “Associazione Antiquari d’Italia” and the “Confédération Internationaledes Négociants en Oeuvres d’arte” (CINOA) and are constantly collaborating with qualified experts, museums, archives and foundations. Over the course of the years they have loaned art works to important institutions such as the Brera Museum and the Prada Foundation in Milan, the Correr Museum in Venice, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Udine.

Prominent collectors who are well known for their activities in the field of fashion, publishing, industry and finance turn to the Copettis for serious and trustworthy advice as do those who are taking their first steps in the art market.