There's been this photography exhibition on for four months at the Strozzi Palace downstairs from where I work at the British Institute. We've walked passed it every day and only jusy made it as it finishes in two days!
The Alinari brothers is actually the world's oldest photographic firm, founded in Florence by Leopoldo with his brothers Giuseppe and Romualdo over 150 years ago in 1852. The company was contiunued in the early 1920's by Leopoldo's son Vittorio.
The exhibition is an extraordinary and unique journey through 150 years of Italian life through a series of 20 rooms of incredible images. Beginning in their home town of Florence and moving on to other towns and cities of Italy, then Europe and finally all over the world. My favourite section is the two rooms on realism, which shows scenes from every day life in some of the poorer southern provinces. Fishermen, street vendors and the poverty in Naples which really seemed to capture the soul and essence of the people.
There are some truly memorable photos some of which we've been seeing around Florence for the past several months. We buy a print of Neapolitan street vendors selling pasta!
Certainly anyone who is interested in photography would be astounded at the quality of these enduring images, some of which were taken in the 1850's only 10 years after photography was actually invented! They are planning to have a permanent collection in Florence sometime in the future... can't wait for that!
http://italophiles.com/alinari.htm
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