Italy the One and Only: Photographs 1900-2000

Tells the story of the evolution of Italy which is narrated by the pictures of monuments and architecture, means of transport, folklore and industry, artisan work and design, market and trade, tourism, food, art, literature, music, theatre, cinema, radio and television, medicine, emigration, down to the technological and scientific conquests.

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This title tells a story lasting one century of a unique country: Italy. Unique, because despite the numerous diversities and infinite facets, this country has made itself known all over the world as compact and united, characterised by an original appearance that has always distinguished it in all sectors. During the 20th century, the evolutions, changes, curiosities and aspects that followed each other, continuing to characterise Italy for better or for worse, were numerous. The volume is organised into twenty-two thematic sections, each of which reasoned and compared as to style and epoch, by a selection of pictures by Italian and foreign photographers. Starting from 'archaic' Italy with its uncontaminated landscapes and population with 'strong' faces, in spite of war and famine, the story of the evolution of the nation is narrated by the pictures of monuments and architecture, means of transport, folklore and industry, artisan work and design, fashion, market and trade, tourism, food, school, art, literature, music, theatre, cinema, radio and television, medicine, emigration, down to the most recent technological and scientific conquests.
The more than 200 photographs, between black and white and colour, have been carefully researched in the Alinari museum, in the Alinari Archives, and in the most important museum collections. The photos of one century ago of Alinari, Brogi, Wulz, Nunes Vais, and Michetti (just to mention several of them) are contrasted with those of Leiss, Lattuada, De Biasi, Patellani, Berengo Gardin, Giacomelli, Basilico, and also some of the most famous foreign photographers who have photographed Italy, such as Stieglitz, Capa Klein, Cartier-Bresson, and many others.