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THE OLDEST FINE ARTS STORE IN ITALY
There are places that preserve the most intimate traces of life and artistic memory.
In Rome, one such crossroads is “Ditta Poggi,” the “coloraro” par excellence, which, with its 200 years of activity, has contributed to the formation of generations of artists and students.
Founded in 1825 by Gaspare Poggi as ‘Ditta delle belle arti’ (Fine Arts Company), a stone’s throw from the Pantheon and the Collegio Romano, the company immediately placed itself at the service of masters, fresco painters, portraitists, and artists both great and small in the ancient craft of painting.
The shop in Via del Gesù has been visited by the most famous exponents of Italian and international painting, from Morandi, De Chirico, Guttuso, and Balthus to D’Orazio, Schifano, and transavantgarde artists such as Chia, Clemente, Cucchi, and Paladino.
The familiarity with famous artists lives on in the memory of those who work in the shop, in the form of unique memories and curious anecdotes. There are stories of De Chirico’s particular techniques, Guttuso’s paint cans, and a rare quality of lavender essence used to dilute the paint that the “Ditta Poggi” company prepared for Dalí.
The presence of ‘Memmo’, the old Roman boy who animates the workshop, is invaluable. He was a faithful follower of Balthus and is said to have been the creator of those beautifully treated canvases, capable of giving an unmistakable rendering to the paintings of the great French master.
Thanks to its lively, family atmosphere, the company is a meeting place for the artists who live there.
Among the shelves filled with tubes bearing fascinating names (emerald green, cadmium red, ultramarine blue), there is an endless array of brushes: cat’s tongue, palette knife, fan, ox hair, and the precious marten hair. And alongside oils and tempera paints, there are now also numerous types of acrylics and cutting-edge products.
While preserving the magic of tradition, the company offers its professionalism and expertise to its customers, always offering the latest innovations in the sector.
The past meets the present in a charming and intimate place that leaves you spellbound.
