OVERVIEW

The History of Photography course explores the development of the photographic medium and the protagonists of photography from the origins to the 1940s.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By analyzing various pictures during the lectures, students will be able to identify the main historical features of photography, and examine its evolution from its origins until the 1940s.

Furthermore, the fundamentals of cataloging a photographic collection will be introduced, through the use of the ICCD's 'F form' (Scheda F ICCD) and by studying photographic archives. By the end of this course, students will thus be expected to know the main features of the history of photography up until the 1940s, its main characters and events, as well as be acquainted with the main principles of Italian photographic cataloging standards.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course aims to teach students about the main authors and currents of photography from its origins up until the 1940s, as well as the main photographic techniques and photographic archiving methods.

Lectures will particularly focus on the Italian and Genoese spheres.

By the end of this course, students will be expected to:

- know the main characters and the evolution of photography up until the 1940s;

- be able to provide a correct chronological attribution to photographs, as well as their appropriate historical and artistic backgrounds;

- be able to critically understand and present the topics studied during lectures and field experiences;

- be able to apply the theoretical notions acquired from the ICCD's 'F forms' to concrete case studies.

TEACHING METHODS

The lessons will be held in person, images and working materials will be analyzed together and there will be cataloging exercises.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The student must be able to know the main protagonists, give a correct chronological attribution and analyze the artistic context, also know the cataloging rules of the Scheda F ICCD.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

1) Students who have attended the course (at least two thirds of the lessons):
- B. Newhall, The history of photography. Torino, Einaudi, 1984 (or other editions)
- S. Sontag, "Vangeli fotografici" in Susan Sontag, On photography. Torino, Einaudi 1978 e 1992. Pp. 99-130 (or other editions)
- Notes in class
- Scheda F (*)

2) Students who have not attended

- B. Newhall, The history of photography. Torino, Einaudi, 1984 (or other editions)
- S. Sontag, "Vangeli fotografici" in Susan Sontag, On photography. Torino, Einaudi 1978 e 1992. Pp. 99-130 (or other editions)

- File uploaded to Aulaweb.

- S. Berselli, L. Gasparini, L’archivio fotografico. Manuale per la conservazione e gestione della fotografia antica e moderna, Zanichelli, Bologna 2000. Pp. 33-96.
- Scheda F (*)

(*) La scheda is available on the ICCD (Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione) website: www.iccd.beniculturali.it, version 4.00 is recommended.

Any variation of the exam program must be agreed in advance with the teacher.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GLORIA VIALE (President)

LEO LECCI

PAOLA VALENTI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

19 September 2023

Class schedule

HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY WITH ELEMENTS OF CATALOGING

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For students who have attended the course (at least two thirds of the lessons):
- lecture notes,
- general texts indicated in the bibliography.

For students who were unable to attend classes:
- general texts indicated in the bibliography

Exam schedule