On display in the exhibition are postcards with a female subject present at the Polo di Archivio Storico (PAST) that were received by the University through the Aspi Center - Historical Archives of Italian Psychology.
These are materials mainly kept in the archive of neuropsychiatrist Alfredo Coppola (1888-1957), best known as an expert witness in the famous court case of the Smemorato di Collegno (Bruneri-Canella case, late 1920s), but also a passionate collector of postcards, which he often received from friends, relatives and colleagues.
Another small nucleus of materials comes from the archive of psychophysiologist Casimiro Doniselli (1876-1960), preserved by his heirs in Civate (Lecco) and donated to the Aspi Center only in digital copy.
The illustrated postcards depicting female subjects (about 180) date from the early decades of the 20th century and are often authored. Indeed, among the illustrators we find well-known signatures such as those of Alberto Bianchi (1882-1969), Luigi Sergio Bompard (1879-1953), Tito Corbella (1885-1966), Giovanni Guerzoni (1876-1948), Achille Luciano Mauzan (1883-1952), Giovanni Nanni (1888-1969), and Aleardo Terzi (1870-1943).
The female figure in these images belongs to the upper middle class and represents a new model for the rising middle classes: elegant, sporty, she travels, moves casually in the public spaces of the city, and has self-confidence, although she is not yet a revolutionary figure. Her image is also a means of escapism, lifting the morale of soldiers during the war, making people dream and forget about everyday problems.
The exhibition will be open to the public from Feb. 25 to April 5, 2025 at the exhibition space of the University Library Headquarters (building U6 Agora, second floor, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, Milan).
Admission is free and open to all on the following days and times:
- Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.