Giovanni Carnevali, renowned rare book expert, dies at 86

Giovanni Carnevali, a prominent bibliophile, antiquarian, and founder of Editoriale Umbra, has passed away at the age of 86. His death has drawn tributes from the cultural community in Foligno and the wider Umbria region.

Carnevali was recognized for transforming Foligno into an international reference point for art publishing and rare books. Over a career spanning several decades, he amassed a significant collection of approximately 150,000 volumes. He was known for his close professional and personal relationships with notable figures such as Federico Zeri and Bruno Toscano.

Beyond his commercial and scholarly success, Carnevali was noted for his contributions to the local community, including the donation of 34 works from the Zeri collection to the ‘Dante Alighieri’ municipal library. He was also a founding member of the Orfini Numeister Association.