32698 - History, Conservation and Cataloguing of Photography and Audiovisuals

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student :

• has a thorough knowledge of the history of photography and audio-visuals, cataloguing techniques and related methodologies, also in relation to new digital technologies;
• knows the main critical and theoretical aspects of the history of photography, in particular the tools for documentation and study of cultural heritage;
• will be able to apply this knowledge to documenting cultural heritage

Course contents

The course will deal with the development of photographic techniques, starting from the origins and from pre-photographic image reproduction techniques. It will also address the issue of the role of photography and audiovisuals in the history of contemporary culture, firstly briefly discussing the theoretical-critical debate on photography, then relations and intertwining with a series of cultural and scientific areas, its applications, its growing development and changes in its function and presence in the social and cultural context, especially in Europe and North America.

A second part of the course will be dedicated in the current academic year to the monographic theme "The photographic edition of the Italian artistic heritage from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century: the great photographers editors (Alinari, Anderson, Brogi) between documentation, tourism, and the idea of nation ".

Finally, a third part, carried out mainly through practical and laboratory exercises, will deal with the problems related to conservation and cataloguing, to the institutions that refer to photography - in particular to the "historical" photography. The course will therefore deal with national and international institutions that deal with the conservation and cataloguing of vintage photographic and audiovisual material; up to the current problems posed by the growing diffusion of the digitalization of images.

Finally, the course includes, in addition to the hints made in the previous parts, a specific part dedicated to audiovisuals, including the birth of cinema; short notes will be devoted to the history of radio and television; up to a discussion on recent information technologies.

Readings/Bibliography

The basic bibliography is the following, divided into four sections (A- manuals; B- history and theory of photography; C- cataloging and conservation; D- monographic works relating to the course theme).

Non-attending students will have to study a text of their choice for each of the four sections for the exam.

For attending students, basic preparation on the following texts is expected:

J.C. Lemagny, A. Rouillé, Storia della fotografia, Firenze. Sansoni, 1989; S. Berselli, L. Gasparini, L'archivio fotografico. Manuale per la conservazione e la gestione della fotografia antica e moderna, Bologna, Zanichelli, 2000;

For attending students this basic preparation will be integrated during the course by an exercise in the laboratory (in case of limitations or distance learning, the exercise will be conducted  on sources and materials indicated or provided by the teacher) Further specific bibliographic suggestions will be provided according to the topic and the materials chosen. .

A. Manuals (one chosen from the following):

J.C. Lemagny, A. Rouillé, Storia della fotografia, Firenze. Sansoni, 1989;

Beaumont Newall, Storia della fotografia, Torino, Einaudi, 1996

B) History of photography

P. Galassi, Prima della fotografia : la pittura e l'invenzione della fotografia, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1989;

P. Sorlin, I figli di Nadar. Il "secolo" dell'immagine analogica, Torino, Einaudi, 2001;

AA.VV., L'Italia d'argento. 1839-1859. Storia del dagherrotipo in Italia, Firenze, Alinari, 2003

F. Faeta, Fotografi e fotografie. Uno sguardo antropologico, Milano, Angeli, 2006

R. Signorini, Alle origini del fotografico. Lettura di Pencil of Nature (1844-46) di William Henry Fox Talbot, Bologna, Clueb, 2007;

M. Miraglia, Specchio che l'occulto rivela. Ideologie e schemi rappresentativi della fotografia fra Ottocento e Novecento, Milano, Angeli, 2011.

C) Cataloguing photographic heritage 

R. Scaramella, Fotografia: storia e riconoscimento dei processi fotografici. Roma, 1999;

I. Zannier, D. Tartaglia, La fotografia in archivio, Milano, Sansoni, 2000;

S. Berselli, L. Gasparini, L'archivio fotografico. Manuale per la conservazione e la gestione della fotografia antica e moderna, Bologna, Zanichelli, 2000;

D) monographic works relating to the course theme:

A. C. Quintavalle, M. Maffioli (a cura di), Fratelli Alinari fotografi in Firenze. 150 anni che illustrarono il mondo 1852-2002, Firenze, Alinari, 2003, pp. 147-238

Teaching methods

The didactic methodology foresees a series of introductory lessons conducted by the teacher; an exercise on some of the publishers' catalogues for a practical study of the issues related to the history of photographic documentation of cultural heritage; some laboratory exercises, aimed at acquiring even practical knowledge of the main operations and procedures for cataloguing and digitizing photographic and audio-visual material, as well as the use of basic photographic and IT equipment for the documentation of cultural heritage

Assessment methods

For attending students:

The verification will be divided into two parts. The first part relates to the laboratory exercise. Attending students - to be considered as such for the purpose of verification - must participate in a laboratory exercise by presenting a final paper agreed with the teacher and following methodologies learned during the course (typically analysis of a photographic archive and preparation of cataloging cards with the use of “Scheda F” ). This paper will be produced with the assistance of the teacher, who will follow its execution, and must be delivered to the teacher in its final form at least one week before the exam.

The second part of the test will be the classic final oral exam, but unlike non-attending students, this will focus not on all sections of the bibliography, but only on the content of the teacher's lessons, on the teaching materials provided during the course and on the manual.

The final evaluation of the student will be determined by the average between the evaluation obtained in the paper presented as a result of the exercise and that obtained in the final oral exam.

For non-attending students:

The exam will be taken through an oral test, in which the candidate will study a textbook chosen from those proposed in section A) of the basic bibliography (ie from the "Manuals" section); a work chosen for section B) of the bibliography, a work chosen from those in section C) of the bibliography, and finally the work recommended for the monographic part of the course (Section D of the basic bibliography).

For all students, both attending and non-attending students, the assessment will be based on verifying the learning of contents and methods, according to the University guidelines, and precisely:

the demonstration of possession of an organic vision of the topics addressed in class or within the exam texts combined with their critical use, of an expressive mastery and of specific language will be evaluated with marks of excellence (28-30);

mostly mechanical and / or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, poor synthesis and analysis skills and / or correct but not always appropriate language will lead to discrete evaluations (23-27);

training gaps and / or inappropriate language - albeit in a context of minimal knowledge of the exam material - will lead to grades that will not exceed sufficient (18-22).

training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographic materials offered during the course can only be evaluated negatively.

Oral examination on the contents of the classes (for attendants) and the recommended readings (for those who will not be able to follow the classes). Following the Alma Mater's guidelines, notably:

• the demonstration of an organic vision of the themes addressed in class or in books indicated in the reading list as well as of the critical use, command of oral expression and specific vocabulary, will be assessed with marks of excellence (28-30).
• mechanical and/or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, scarce ability of synthesis and analysis and/or the use of a correct but not always appropriate vocabulary will lead to discrete assessments (23-27).
• training gaps and/or inappropriate vocabulary - even in conjunction with a minimal knowledge of the subject - will lead to marks that will not exceed the minimum grade (18-22).
• training gaps, inappropriate vocabulary, lack of command of the bibliography discussed within the course will lead to negative evaluations.

Teaching tools

A series of equipments is available at the Department's Frame-Lab  which can be used in part during the exercises.

For students with DSA it is possible to contact the teacher for the activation of adequate support tools for the exam

Office hours

See the website of Luigi Tomassini