On October 7, 2016, Colnaghi inaugurated their new gallery in London with a VIP party and the opening of the exhibition “Vanitas”. The new gallery space in Bury Street in Mayfair was designed by Colnaghi’s Creative Director Diego Fortunato. It features several exhibition areas and a library. At the new gallery, the 256-year old art dealership aims to present Master paintings and sculptures in a fresh context for a contemporary audience.

The “Vanitas” exhibition features around 30 paintings and sculptures from the 16th to the 20th centuries, all related to the Vanitas theme. Vanitas (Latin for vanity) refers to a genre of symbolic works of art that sought to remind the viewer of their mortality and of the worthlessness of worldly goods. Highlights include a sill life by the Spanish Baroque master Andres Deleito and a terracotta bust of a wigged skeleton. The launch party also featured a video installation by Spanish contemporary artist Eugenio Ampudia, DJ Blonde Ambition Deanne Oliver-Evans, and a surprise installation in the gallery window. The exhibition runs until November 4, 2016.