Two major exhibitions will open this autumn in Tuscany, bringing rare masterpieces by Giacomo Balla and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to Italian audiences.
Giacomo Balla exhibition – Pistoia
From 27 September 2025 to 22 February 2026, Palazzo de’ Rossi in Pistoia presents In Visita | Giacomo Balla, the fourth edition of the series dedicated to masters of modern and contemporary art. Promoted by Fondazione Pistoia Musei and Fondazione Caript, the exhibition reunites three rarely seen works that explore Balla’s fascination with the sea.
The centrepiece is Velmare (1919), on loan from the Credem Collection of Reggio Emilia. It is displayed alongside two versions of Ballucecolormare (c. 1924), one from Fondazione Caript and one from a private collection. These canvases trace a key phase in Balla’s career when, between Viareggio and Rome, he developed a new futurist language inspired by nature. His sharp lines and luminous colours transform waves, sails, and sea breezes into dynamic abstractions.
This period reached international recognition at the 1925 Paris Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes, where Balla presented works such as Mare velivolato. The Pistoia show echoes that same innovative spirit, blurring the boundaries between fine art and design. Executed on tapestry-like fabric, the Ballucecolormare works also reflect Balla’s interest in applied arts and decorative panels.
Curated by Monica Preti and Annamaria Iacuzzi, with contributions from Balla specialist Elena Gigli, the exhibition also draws links with Tuscan painter Mario Nannini, whose futurist experiments parallel Balla’s. Visitors will find an extensive public programme including lectures, concerts, and workshops for families. Highlights include a performance on Balla’s scenography for Stravinsky’s Feu d’artifice and hands-on activities for children inspired by the sea. A bilingual catalogue published by Gli Ori accompanies the show.
Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition in central Florence
Meanwhile in Florence, the Museo degli Innocenti will host Toulouse-Lautrec. A Journey into Belle Époque Paris, opening on the same dates, 27 September 2025 to 22 February 2026.
Centred on an exceptional loan from the Wolfgang Krohn Collection in Hamburg, the exhibition features key works from Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901). These include Jane Avril (1893), Aristide Bruant in His Cabaret (1893), and Troupe de Mademoiselle Églantine (1896). The show also presents drawings, graphics, and the celebrated poster La Revue blanche (1895).
Toulouse-Lautrec, an aristocratic viscount, became one of the most original voices of European art. His vibrant images of dancers, singers, and cabaret performers captured the bohemian spirit of Montmartre. His use of lithography transformed poster art, making it an enduring symbol of the Belle Époque.
The Florence exhibition expands beyond Toulouse-Lautrec to showcase Alphonse Mucha, Jules Chéret, Georges de Feure, and Paul Berthon. Period costumes, furnishings, photographs, and films will create an immersive journey into Paris between 1880 and 1900, when Art Nouveau and its European variants reshaped visual culture.
The Balla and Toulouse-Lautrec exhibitions offer audiences a rare chance to experience both Futurism and the dazzling graphic world of Belle Époque Paris.
