Photograph album of Turin, Italy, 1852-1870

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Summary

Creators:
Maggi, G.B. (Giovanni Battista), photographer.
Abstract:
Album of 29 albumen silver prints of architectural views of Turin, Italy by photographer Giovanni Battista Maggi. Included are panoramic views of the city and the Po River, one taken from the nearby Monte dei Cappuccini, and various government, civic, and church buildings.
Extent:
1 album (29 photographic prints) : albumen, 32 x 45 cm (album)
Language:
Finding aid is written in English. and Materials are in English.

Background

Scope and content:

There are photos of the Stazione Porta Nuova railroad station; the Palazzo Reale; the Basilica di Superga; east and west facades of the Palazzo Madama, which at that time served as the seat of the Subalpine Senate (Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia), but which became the City Museum of Ancient Art in 1934; and the Mole Antonelliana, conceived and constructed as a Jewish synagogue in 1863 by the architect Antonio Antonelli, later dedicated to Victor Emmanuel II when the Jewish community of Turin withdrew its support from the project in 1876, due to construction delays and rising costs. The Renaissance cathedral of Turin, the Duomo di San Giovanni, to which the Cappella della Santa Sindone, Chapel of the Holy Shroud, was added in 1668-94, is shown with its Romanesque campanile. Other photos include the Monumento al Traforo del Frejus, a celebration of the Frejus tunnel linking Italy and France; Piazza San Carlo, Piazza Vittorio Veneto, and its neoclassic Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio, built in 1831 to commemorate the return of the Savoy following the French occupation in 1814; and Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele I. Several photos feature bridges over the Po River: the arched stone spans of Ponte di Valentino and Ponte di Vanchiglia, as well as an iron suspension bridge, with the Monte dei Cappuccini in the background. There are east and west views of the Castello del Valentino, once the residence of members of the royal house of Savoy, now part of the Polytechnic University of Turin. The Villa della Regina also once belonged to the House of Savoy. The album concludes with photos of several monuments commemorating the feats of members of the House of Savoy, including equestrian statues of Emmanuele Filiberto, in the Piazza San Carlo, depicting the duke drawing his sword to lead his troops to victory in the Battle of San Quintino in 1557, and Carlo Alberto, next to the Palazzo Carignano in Piazza Carlo Alberto, both by Carlo Marochetti; and Ferdinand of Savoy, Duke of Genova, in Piazza Solferino by Alfonso Balzico. Another statue, by Pelagio Palagi, celebrates Amadeo VI of Savoy, known as "il Conte Verde."

Range of dates from dates of other works published by Maggi, and from construction date of Mole Antonelliana, featured in album photos.

Acquisition information:
Anonymous gift.
Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.
Physical facet:

Photographs (20 x 26 cm) affixed to rectos of leaves of stiff white paper.

Bound in brown pebble-grain cloth boards; ornamental and ruled gilt borders; gilt spine panels; gold-stamped cover title "Torino;" textured white endpapers; edges stained red.

Spec. Coll. copy: in modern beige cloth covered clamshell box; paper spine label, with title "Torino."

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
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