Puccini, on the centenary of his death an exhibition reveals an unprecedented passion: 80 of his photographs on display in Lucca

A great passion for photography. Not many knew that Giacomo Puccini, in addition to composing immortal music, dedicated himself to a very particular hobby. Now there Ragghianti Foundationin collaboration with Simonetta Puccini Foundation of Torre del Lago and the Giacomo Puccini Study Center of Lucca, presents the exhibition “What eye in the world”. Puccini photographer”. The exhibition, curated by Gabriella Biagi Ravenni, Paolo Bolpagni and Diana Toccafondiwill be open to visitors for free from 16 February to 1 April in the Fresco room of the San Micheletto Complex in Lucca.

Thanks to the materials preserved in the Puccini Archive in Torre del Lago, and in a small part coming from other funds, over eighty original photographs will be exhibited which will give life to a unique experience of its kind: a fascinating journey that will allow the visitor to observe the world through the lens of famous composer. The photographs in the first section document the places usually frequented by Giacomo Puccini, from Torre del Lago to Chiatri, from Boscolungo to Ansedonia, with particular attention to his homes. A selection of original shots will be on display, along with an album created by the composer, while further previously unpublished images will be digitized and reproduced in the exhibition. The second section will instead be dedicated to his travels in Europe, the American continent and Egypt, with particular attention to the landscapes, the populations and the sea crossings.

The photographs on display are mostly made with the aristotype technique and are mainly panoramic, a format due to the camera used, a rare Kodak model which will be on display. A further section of the exhibition will instead highlight the portraits of the composer (therefore taken by others) and the photographs that concern the private dimension of the artist, immersed in daily life and together with his family.

“This year marks centenary of the death of the great Giacomo Puccini, who, in addition to music, cultivated other artistic passions with great curiosity”, commented Alberto Fontana and Paolo Bolpagni, president and director of the Ragghianti Foundation. “To celebrate this anniversary we are pleased to offer an unprecedented point of view on a universally known artist, in line with the approach that has always characterized the Ragghianti Foundation. The exhibition outlines an unexpected profile of the great composer, through the choice of particular and significant shots and favoring the criterion of the novelty of the materials”.

For the occasion, a catalog was created (Edizioni Fondazione Ragghianti Studi sull’arte) containing reproductions of all the photographs on display and the texts by Gabriella Biagi Ravenni, Paolo Bolpagni, Manuel Rossi and Eugenia Di Rocco.

photo ">