Many years ago, in his full professional maturity, Ivan Bruschi gave life to that intuition that he had always kept inside, that of making an alliance between his love for antiques, and the town of Arezzo. The Antique Fair was born in 1968. It was first exhibition of its kind in Italy and today it is still one of the biggest that takes place on a regular monthly basis. It is a very important appointment for all antique lovers, and has strong economic, social and cultural implication for the historic centre of Arezzo. In this period Bruschi was taking a huge risk due to population migrationfrom the historic centre of the ancient Gibelline town to more prosperous area at the bottom of the valley. It was probably the transfer of the Herbs market from the beautiful medioeval Piazza Grande to that gave Bruschi the opportunity to intervene. The idea of the Antiques Fair, inspired by a trip to London’s Portobello market, proved the most effective solution in reviving Arezzo despite the various difficulties. Due to his reputed professionalism in the Antiques field, this fair became reality, filling the physical and existential void left behind after the century old herb market moved from the square. Encouraged by the Antique Fair’s rising success, Bruschi also promoted a series of events that caught the attention of the Italian and international public thus winning this market’s classification as being the best in Italy. The achievements of this fair convinced Bruschi to transform the antique business into a significant activity for the entire area from an economic point of view. Therefore, he become the promoter of very important exhibitions organized in different areas of the province, among which include the National Antique Furniture Exhibition in Cortona, still one of the most important exhibitions today. Such enthusiasm for these initiatives is rooted in his family background.which was characterized by a strong passion for antiques and art objects. His father Pietro and his eldest brother, were both merchants of ancient furniture. The youngest of six children, Ivan Bruschi was born in Castiglion Fibocchi in 1920. During his University years he met the famous art critic Roberto Longhi, and this friendship gave him a more mature cultural and aesthetic vision of Art. His first steps as an antique’s dealer were taken alongside his brother in the art Gallery that he owned in Florence. His mother’s death in 1956, followed by his father’s ten years later, had a huge impact on his life. He came back to live in Arezzo with his sister Dina in the old Captain’s People Palace, which had been owned by the family since the beginning of of the 1900 hundreds although in good part severly damaged by the tragic ally bombing in December 1943. At the beginning of the 1960’s Bruschi, who was very fond of this house in his youth, started the restoration of the old Palace, bringing it out of its debts and back to life. The ancient house - the “Palazzetto”, as Bruschi used to call it - became the place of cultural meetings, and events where the Fiera Antiqua’s was held . It was also his loved refuge. In those years Bruschi gave life to the Casa Museo, proudly showing his guests around it as he felt it reflected his identification. It immediately became an exclusive, suggestive place, a “wonderland”, where his cultural conception of antiques found a significant and strong expression. Definitively matured his choice to stay in Arezzo, in 1958 Bruschi opened his antique shop in the premises of the actual Gallery in Piazza San Francesco, where he started up his activity selling Villa Terrosi Vagnoli’s furniture at Cetona. In a very short space of time, the Bruschi gallery became a famous place, hosting international guests. It soon became the beating heart of the Fiera Antiquaria. These were the successful years during which Bruschi was helped by “Mrs. Carla”, his untiring secretary. This was a period full of engagements and journeys to discover new cultures. His lifetime dreams became real. The fair made the city of Arezzo famous, being visited by important personalities from the world of politics, business, etc.. Antique dealing slowly became an important voice in Arezzo’s economic activities and gave life to the ancient staples of the historic centre that was opened once again to activities and artisans. There still remained his last goal. Approaching the end of his life, and suffering poor health over a long period of time, Bruschi gave his will in a public testament. In it, he constituted the Foundation Ivan Bruschi, as the heir to his own fortune, with the aim of continuing his activity. In this same act he definitively decreed the collaboration pact protracted in his life with the city bank, the Banca Etruria, giving them perpetual administration of this foundation. Ivan Bruschi died in December 1996 in the high floor of the Captain Peoples Palace. The foundation has restored this palace and its treasures, and opened it to the public thanks to economic efforts of the Banca Etruria. These works of art, antiques objects, and the voices heard coming from the monthly Antiques Fair from the surrounding streets, keep the presence of Bruschi alive in the rooms he loved so much.