The Bologna section

The Bologna section is composed of more than 800,000 pictures that belong to several collections:

Enrico Pasquali
A photographer from the post-WWII era who was commissioned to document political and trade-union events, building sites, public works and monuments, Enrico Pasquali was a chronicler of the ordinary life in the Emilian countryside and mountain villages. The acquisition of the material has recently concluded and is not yet consultable, apart from a small core of prints and all of the negatives that have already been cleaned (around 300,000 images).

Studio Camera
The Studio Camera documented Bologna’s social and political life from the end of the 19th century until 1986, with a particular focus on the events of the 1930s and 40s. From their historic studio in Via Indipendenza 33, Giuseppe Camera and his sons Aldo, Pietro and Decio chronicled current affairs, art, industry and family life, as well as taking thousands of portraits and passport-size photos of Bologna’s citizens. Out of their entire production, only a small nucleus of prints from the 1930s and 40s is consultable.

Nino Comaschi
After training in a photographic studio, at the end of 1935 Nino Comaschi began working for the newspaper Il Resto del Carlino, which published his photos of sporting events (mostly football matches) and later of political and civil life. During the Second World War he worked as a professional journalist for the Giornale dell’Emilia and then again for Il Resto del Carlino. All of the collection’s negatives have undergone conservation treatment and will be consultable following scanning.

Aldo Ferrari
Aldo Ferrari worked as a photojournalist in Bologna from 1949 to the early 1970s before becoming chief news editor of the newspaper Il Resto del Carlino. In 2002 he decided to donate all of his photographs to the Cineteca’s Photo Archive, which is currently reorganizing the collection. The materials will be consultable once they have been scanned.

Paolo Monti
At the request of the city administration, between 1969 and 1970 Paolo Monti completed a photographic census of Bologna’s historic centre. All the prints are consultable by appointment.

The Former Ente Manifestazioni Artistiche
Between 1978 and 1987 the Ente Manifestazioni Artistiche (artistic events organization) invited the photographers Cagnoni, Fontcuberta, Sam Haskins and Boubat to take pictures in Bologna. The works they produced, which were printed and exhibited, are consultable by appointment.

19th-Century Bologna Miscellany
The 19th-century core of the archive, with images from different photographers capturing the events and monuments of Bologna in the 1800s.

20th-Century Bologna Miscellany
Different collections of photographs from the 20th century, which over the years have become part of the archive.

Among others, the archive also preserves the collections of Carlo Bavagnoli, Gianfranco Bernagozzi, Antonio Masotti, Bologna’s city police and various collections from the Region of Emilia-Romagna.

City of Bologna Collection
Brings together 615 historical and artistic images, deposited by the city in a special “Mobiletto” (cabinet).