At the age of 28, in 1956, Beniamino Levi opened his first art gallery in Milan, on Via Montenapoleone, with the aim of introducing international modern art into the heart of Italianculture.
His transition from bridge to art was not accidental: while playing bridge, he met art critic Franco Passoni, who recognized Levi’s profound artistic sensitivity and encouraged him to open a galleryin the space opposite his wife’s family jewelry store.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the Levi Gallery became a key meeting point for collectors, intellectuals, and art lovers. Here, Levi presented international artists alongside Italian avant-gardemovements, bringing to Italy works by masters such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, René Magritte, Wassily Kandinsky, Lucio Fontana, Giorgio de Chirico, and many others.
Figures from high society, including Maria Callas, industrialist Baron Thyssen, and the Agnelli family, frequented the gallery, drawn by the quality and rarity of its exhibitions.
