The exhibition traces the history of the Foundation through photographs, documents, texts, books, videos, equipment, models of display elements, the fitting projects, drawings, sketches, posters, works of art.
After a tribute, through vintage images, Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti and Licia Collobi, portrayed in moments of their youth and early adulthood, the initial room tells synthetically, through photographs, books, texts and videos, the multifaceted activities of Ragghianti: the foundation and direction of major journals, the publication of major monographs, the invention and implementation of critofilm, the organization and care of memorable exhibitions. Special focus is devoted to the Florentine exhibitions, the three personal of famous contemporary architects Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier and Alvar Aalto, the exhibition The Italian house over the centuries and the monumental 1967 Modern Art retrospective in Italy from 1915 to 1935.
The second room traces the birth and the inauguration of the Centre for Studies on Art Licia and Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti in 1981 (with a staff of Vittorio Tavernari, which are exhibited two works), its transformation into a foundation in 1984 and the activity – exhibitions and meetings with artists – performed under the direction of Pier Carlo Santini (at the helm from 1981 until his death in 1993), while the President was Pier Luigi Del Frate (1981-1994). A study is reserved for the complex of San Micheletto, in which the Centre Ragghianti Studies was housed until the beginning, and four are particularly representative exhibitions held in those years: Italian sculpture of our time (1982), Emilio Greek (1987), Fra the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Apuan Alps (1990) and Ruskin and Tuscany (1993).
In the third room it presents the activity of the Fondazione Ragghianti the mid-nineties to the present. After Santini and Del Frate disappearance, succeed to the direction John Fanelli (1995-1998), Vittorio Fagone (2000-2007), Maria Teresa Filieri (2008-2015) and Paul Bolpagni (from 2016), while the presidency of the Foundation alternate Gian Carlo Giurlani (1994-1997), Giovanni Cattani (1997-2011), Romano Silva (April-October 2011), Arturo Lattanzi (October 2011 – March 2012) and, from 2012, Giorgio Tori.
The exhibitions held in this long period of time, showing the evolution and the lively cultural originality of the proposal drawn up by Ragghianti Foundation, are documented by posters and photographs of the stands, display elements of models, floor plans, design drawings and sketches, hanging the walls and resting on the big 'work table' at the center of the room. A 'time line' allows you to follow, step by step, the history of exhibitions of Ragghianti Foundation.
The exhibition ends with a video room, where you can watch and listen to movies on the stands of some exhibitions held and interviews with artists and photographers who have exhibited here over the years. Finally, an overview of the Ragghianti Foundation publications.
UNA STORIA D'ARTE – The Foundation Ragghianti and Lucca 1981-2017
Foundation Research Center on Art Licia and Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti
Monumental Complex of San Micheletto Via San Micheletto 3, Lucca
4 amrzo / April 17, 2017 (updated to april 25)
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 13 and from 15 to 19
Free entry