The exhibition, showcasing a small but valuable collection of photographs from the Museum, aims to narrate the legendary exploits of Luigi Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of the Abruzzi, between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
In just over ten years, between 1897 and 1909, Luigi Amedeo di Savoia completed the expeditions that made him famous throughout the world: in 1897, the first ascent of Mount St. Elias in Alaska; in 1899-1900, the expedition to the North Pole, which reached the most northern latitude of the time; in 1906, the exploration of the Rwenzori massif in Africa; and in 1909, the expedition to the Karakorum, with the failed attempt to ascend K2 and a new world altitude record. His exploits, celebrated and recounted by his contemporaries, redefined the then-known boundaries, revealing distant and mysterious territories. The aim of the exhibition is to relive his story and his extraordinary nature in an era in which such expeditions required meticulous preparation and where risks remained extremely high.
The charm and grandeur of the places explored are captured in the shots of Vittorio Sella, a master of photography during arduous treks through the snow or rainforest. The spirit of adventure, the dangers, and the passion that inspired the explorations are relived in the words of those who participated. To this end, the photographs are accompanied by the texts of Filippo De Filippi's official reports, alongside Luigi Amedeo in Alaska, the Karakorum, and the Ruwenzori; the expedition to the Pole is documented by the Duke's own narrative, in his account of it in La Stella Polare nel Mare Artico, 1899-1900.
The exhibition ends with the film of the expedition in Karakorum, made by Vittorio Sella in 1909 and enriched with original music composed and performed for the exhibition. The exhibition was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Fondazione Sella Onlus of Biella and the National Mountain Museum "Duca degli Abruzzi" CAI – Turin.
The core of photographs from the collection of Luigi Amedeo di Savoia and merged into the Historical Photography Collection of the National Museum of Risorgimento It consists of contemporary silver bromide gelatin prints and silver bromide collodions with contemporary manual interventions in watercolour, gouache and Indian ink.
The core of photographs, from the Sella Foundation collection, is displayed in digital prints taken from original negatives on silver bromide gelatin plates or film.
From 12 July to 20 October 2019
Images
from the exhibition
Press
