About Vivian Fusillo and Her Collection

Revere Auctions is proud to announce a specially curated selection of works from the celebrated Vivian Fusillo Collection, coming for sale on November 19, 2025. While the broader Fusillo holdings have been dispersed to multiple auction venues across the country, Revere is honored to represent this meaningful segment—anchored by the deep relationships and institutional understanding developed through our work with the Fusillo Estate.

Vivian Fusillo (1927-2024) was recognized among connoisseurs as a collector of rare discernment and an adventurous eye. Over decades, she built a collection that ranged widely in material, medium, and scale, from gestural post-war canvases to shimmering light-based works. Her holdings drew from several generations of modern and contemporary art, curated with an emphasis on emotional resonance and a measured boldness of taste. Wherever she went, Vivian’s remarkable beauty and endearing personality caught the attention of those around her. From Richard Avedon, who photographed her in New York City, to Elizabeth Taylor, who gifted her a prized necklace, her friends in the art world were significant players.

After her many travels, Vivian accepted a teaching position at Winona State University in 1968, where she met her partner George and found herself creating a life in Minnesota, a place she called home until her death in the summer of 2024. 

She directed over 100 plays, and inspired countless students, evident in her many awards and accolades received as a teacher. Upon retirement, Vivian was made Professor Emerita, and the Performing Arts Center main stage at Winona State University was renamed the Vivian Fusillo Theatre in her honor. Her life had lasting effects within the Winoa, MN Community at large. Revere Auctions was entrusted by the Fusillo family to perform an estate appraisal, to assist with cataloguing, and to advise on the collection. That advisory role gave us unparalleled insight into provenance, condition, curatorial logic, and strategic placement. While the forthcoming selection is modest in scale it offers rare access to works whose origin lies directly within the Fusillo legacy; the focused size of the consignment ensures coherence, focus, and distinction. The Fusillo collection has already made a significant impression on the marketplace. One of the most memorable auction results is that of a Joan Mitchell painting entitled “Peinture II” (1964)—a work that sold for $2,759,000 earlier this year.