Serena Padovani graduated in History of Modern Art from the University of Bologna in 1967. Later, she continued her studies to gain academic specialization and was awarded two scholarships, one by the University of Bologna and the other by the Roberto Longhi Foundation of Florence. She dedicated herself to teaching at the Art Institute of Porta Romana from 1972 to 1976. In the following years she was an official of the Superintendency for Artistic and Historical Heritage in Siena and Florence, a role she held until 2009. In Florence she was also the director of the Cenacoli Fiorentini (1980-2000) and later both deputy director (1982-2000) and director (2000-2009) of the Palatine Gallery.