Vittorio Sgarbi is hospitalized at Gemelli Hospital in Rome: he is in serious condition

Vittorio Sgarbi has been hospitalized again at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome. The hospital itself confirmed his recovery on the night between September 30th and October 1st. The art critic, politician, and former Undersecretary of Culture is 74 years old.

Initial reports indicate that Sgarbi was hospitalized for tests and clinical monitoring. Subsequently, some sources reported that he had been transferred to intensive care and that his condition was serious. At this time, however, the hospital has not released an official medical bulletin clarifying the nature of the problem and his exact clinical situation.

A necessary precaution, therefore, pending any official communications from health authorities.

The previous hospitalization in 2025

The new hospitalization brings back memories of the difficult period Sgarbi went through in the spring of 2025, when he remained at the Gemelli Hospital for over a month.

On that occasion, the critic himself had spoken publicly about the deep depressive crisis that had struck him, accompanied by isolation, weight loss and difficulty eating.

After a long period of treatment, Sgarbi had gradually resumed appearing in public, albeit much more sporadically than in the past.

The return to public life in Ferrara

One of the most significant images of recent months dates back to February 19, 2026, when Sgarbi participated in Ferrara at the presentation of the restoration of a large canvas by Giuseppe Avanzi at the Certosa.

It was its first public appearance in the city in over a year and a half. On that occasion, the critic, president of the Ferrara Arte Foundation, participated in the conference dedicated to the work's return to the church of San Cristoforo.

Images of her presence at the event had attracted a lot of attention on social media and in the media.

The birthday in Venice

On May 8th, Sgarbi also celebrated his 74th birthday in Venice. On that occasion, he was received at the Biennale headquarters, Ca' Giustinian, by President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco.

His presence in the lagoon city had represented a further sign of the critic's return to public life after the previous difficult period.

The legal case with his daughter Evelina

In recent months, in addition to health issues, Sgarbi's name has also been at the center of a delicate family legal matter.

His daughter Evelina had asked the Civil Court of Rome to appoint a support administrator for her father, arguing the need to verify his ability to independently manage his own person and his own interests.

The story, however, took a different turn than initially expected: in December 2025, the Rome Court rejected the request to appoint a support administrator, but ordered a medical assessment to assess Sgarbi's capacity to make particularly complex personal and financial decisions.

In February 2026, the Court also rejected the daughter's request to revoke the expert appointed to carry out the assessment.

Acquittal in the Manetti painting case

Another recent chapter in the Sgarbi affair concerns the legal proceedings over the painting “The Capture of Saint Peter” by Rutilio Manetti.

On February 16, 2026, the art critic was acquitted in Reggio Emilia, through a summary trial, of money laundering charges related to the work. The prosecutor had requested a sentence of three years and four months.

Sgarbi had remained indicted for the sole crime of money laundering, while the charges relating to the counterfeiting and self-laundering of cultural assets had previously been dismissed.

Waiting for a medical bulletin

Attention is now focused on the art critic's health conditions.

Hospitalization at Gemelli Hospital was confirmed by the healthcare facility, while news of his transfer to intensive care and the severity of his condition came from sources reported by various media outlets. There are currently no official medical reports that provide further details on his condition or prognosis.

For this reason, it will be essential to await any communications from the Gemelli Hospital or the family in the next few hours to understand Sgarbi's true clinical condition.