Collection: Achille Perilli

"Introduction to Achille Perilli"

Achille Perilli (1927–2024) is considered one of the most significant figures in Italian abstract art. He co-founded Gruppo Forma 1 (1947), a collective that promoted a formalist abstract art with a social dimension. His research culminated in a "fantastic geometry" or "abstract surrealism." His works utilize complex, modular forms, defined by broken lines and juxtapositions of intense colors, creating visual labyrinths charged with spatial dynamism. This unmistakable synthesis of structural rigor and inventiveness has had a crucial and lasting influence on contemporary art.

Achille Perilli - Galleria Antonio Damiani

Biography of Achille Perilli

Achille Perilli was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Italian art, a central figure in the geometric abstraction scene and a founding member of the celebrated Forma 1 group, founded in Rome in 1947. His work represents a perfect synthesis of formal rigor and poetic freedom: through geometric signs, dynamic lines, and vibrant colors, Perilli transformed the canvas into a space for constant research and experimentation, capable of engaging with modernity without losing its visual identity.

Perilli's career has spanned solo and group exhibitions, collaborations with major art institutions, and international recognition. His works have been exhibited in leading museums and galleries, including the MoMA in New York, the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome, the Museo d'Arte Contemporanea in Lissone, and numerous private and public collections in Italy and abroad. His stylistic signature is characterized by an innovative use of geometry and abstraction, creating balanced yet emotionally powerful compositions in which visual rhythm becomes a poetic language.

Perilli has never limited himself to a single technique: he has experimented with painting, drawing, printmaking, and mixed media, always maintaining an internal coherence within his artistic vision. His best-known works, such as Gioco Stregonesco (1996), demonstrate his ability to combine geometric precision and expressive intensity, bringing each element of the canvas into dialogue with the surrounding space. His artistic language has influenced generations of Italian and international artists, cementing his role as a master of abstraction and an innovator in the contemporary art scene.

Perilli's poetics are distinguished by a balance between reason and emotion, between formal control and spontaneity of gesture. His works invite the viewer into an immersive experience: every sign stimulates perception, every color vibrates in space, every composition challenges the rigidity of traditional geometry. Through constant experimentation, Achille Perilli has constructed a recognizable visual language, capable of engaging with the present while remaining rooted in the tradition of 20th-century Italian art.

Today, Achille Perilli's works continue to be sought after by collectors and museums around the world, a symbol of an art that blends innovation, discipline, and poetry. His artistic legacy remains an essential reference for anyone who wishes to understand the depth and vitality of Italian abstraction.

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Achille Perilli in the museums of the world

Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome

National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rome

Centre Pompidou, Paris

Cantonal Art Museum, Lugano

Solo and group exhibitions

1960 – “Achille Perilli”, Galleria La Tartaruga, Rome

1975 – “Form 1 and the Generation of Abstractionism”, Rome

1989 – “Perilli: Signs and Colors”, Milan

2010 – “Achille Perilli: Abstraction as Language”, National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome

Galleria Antonio Damiani is pleased to present the work of Achille Perilli, a master of geometric abstraction and a central figure in 20th-century Italian abstract art. With his visual exploration of intense signs, lines, and colors, Perilli teaches us that art can be a bridge between form and concept, rigor and freedom, memory and innovation. His work invites reflection on the role of art as a creative and living force, capable of engaging with the viewer and leaving a lasting mark on the language of contemporary abstraction.


Achille Perilli: Market Analysis, Style, and Value of Informal and Form Abstraction 1

Achille Perilli was a key figure in postwar Italian abstract art, co-founding the Forma 1 group in 1947. His work evolved from an adherence to formal abstraction to develop a unique language characterized by graphic signs, irrational geometries, and vibrant colors reminiscent of comics and games. His work explores the relationship between logical structure and narrative unexpectedness, creating complex and dynamic visual universes.

Value Drivers: Foundation Works and Large Narrative Canvases

The most valuable works are those from the 1950s, which reflect the initial phase of Forma 1, and the large canvases, often titled Racconti, created between the 1960s and 1970s. These works represent the pinnacle of his mature style, where composition and color are at their most complex and distinctive. Value is determined by size, chromatic richness, and provenance.

Authenticity and Guarantees: The Achille Perilli Archive Verification

Given his long and prolific career spanning several stylistic phases, certification is crucial. The Damiani Gallery only deals in works with impeccable provenance. Safety and authenticity are guaranteed by official documentation and the archive certificate issued by the Achille Perilli Archive, essential for correctly dating and cataloging the work.

From Specialist Consulting to Sales

From Sign Analysis to Correct Quotation: Perilli's market is segmented between the Forma 1 period and the mature phase of lyrical abstraction. To obtain an expert and confidential appraisal of his works or to request advice on your investment in postwar Italian art, please contact us.


Available works by Achille Perilli