HISTORIES OF PHOTOGRAPHY

The course is part of the related or integrative courses in Art History of the Bachelor’s Degree in Conservation of the Cultural Heritage and Management of Cultural Activities. It therefore intends to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the history of photography, from its origins to today, in a constant and indispensable comparison with the contemporary visual arts and image theory.

Excellent knowledge and understanding of the history of photography and its theoretical, aesthetic, technical, and social developments between the 19th and 21st centuries. Ability to apply the knowledge and understanding of the texts and topics (authors, pictures, artworks, ideas, themes) examined during the course by elaborating, with the appropriate language and the subject-specific terminology, an autonomous, articulate and coherent discourse, especially in written form. Ability to formulate a personal critical judgment, also thanks to the methodological example and the tools provided during classes, by establishing an open and enriching exchange with the teacher and classmates.

Good knowledge of the major historical events and the main movements of thought between the 19th and the 21st centuries, as a general framework in which the history of photography and of the visual arts is included.

The course is divided into thematic cores and focused on some of the major authors and thinkers of photography – among which also important artists-photographers whose theoretical effort is an integral part of their work – that with their writings have investigated fundamental questions of the history and status of images between the 19th and 21st centuries. The topics covered during lessons will illustrate and integrate the study of the exam references. Particular attention will be paid to the problem of the identity of photography, which suspended between its scientific and artistic origin, social and cultural history, commercial and media use, public and private memory, documentary and fictional value, analogue and digital language, is in constant evolution. The complete programme will be presented and made available at the beginning of the course.

Bibliography to prepare for the exam (mandatory):

1. Jean-Claude Lemagny e André Rouillé (eds.), "A History of Photography", Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1987 (1st ed. 1986). [NB: The book is no longer available to buy. It is available in the BAUM library and as a PDF on Moodle].
2. David Levi Strauss, "Between the Eyes: Essays on Photography and Politics", Aperture, New York, 2003.

Texts for those who wish to explore the course topics in more depth (not mandatory):


- Barthes, Roland, "Camera Lucida: Notes on Photography", Hill and Wang, New York, 1981 (First ed. in French, "La chambre claire. Note sur la photographie", 1980).
- Batchen, Geoffrey, “Burning with Desire. The Conception of Photography”, MIT Press, Cambridge (MA), 1999.
- Benjamin, Walter, "The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technical Reproducibility, and Other Writings on Media", ed. by M. Jennings, B. Doherty, T.Y. Levin, Harvard University Press, Cambridge (MA), 2008 [Especially the following sections: 'The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility' (pp.19-55); 'Little History of Photography' (pp. 274-298)].
- Berger, John, “Understanding a Photograph”, ed. by G. Dyer, Penguin, London, 2013.
- Berger, John, “Ways of Seeing”, Penguin, London, 1972.
- Chéroux, Clément, "Fautographie. Petite histoire de l’erreur photographique", Yellow Now, Crisnée, 2003.
- Dyer, Geoff, “The Ongoing Moment”, Phanteon, New York, 2005.
- Fiorentino, Giovanni, Roberta Valtorta, Monica Maffioli (a cura di), "Storie della fotografia in Italia", Pearson, Londra, 2024.
- Ghirri, Luigi, "Lezioni di fotografia", a cura di G. Bizzarri e P. Barbaro, Quodlibet, Macerata, 2010.
- Gunthert, André, 'The Consecration of the Selfie: A cultural history', in in "Études photographiques", 32 (2015), pp. 1-17; https://journals.openedition.org/etudesphotographiques/3529 .
- Gunthert, André, 'The Conversational Image: New Uses of Digital Photography', in "Études photographiques", 31 (2014), pp. 1-10; https://journals.openedition.org/etudesphotographiques/3387 .
- Levi Strauss, David, "Photography and Belief", David Zwirner Books, New York, 2020.
- Marra, Claudio, "Che cos'è la fotografia", Carocci, Roma, 2017.
- Marra, Claudio, "L'immagine infedele. La falsa rivoluzione della fotografia digitale", Bruno Mondadori, Milano, 2006.
- Sontag, Susan, "On Photography", Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 1977.

NB: It is advisable to contact the teacher for special requests or interests outside the suggested references but in line with one's course of study and the development of the thesis.

The exam will consist only of a written test with five questions, including the attribution and critical reading of a photograph, based on the study of the reference bibliography (the two mandatory texts). The test is passed if the student reaches sufficiency by responding accurately and exhaustively to three of the five questions. Grades are given on the basis of the correctness and completeness of the answers and on the accuracy of the language used. For more information on the written test see the vademecum on Moodle.

written

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

The written test consists of five questions. Each question is worth a maximum of 6 marks, allocated as follows:
- 0 marks: insufficient or missing answer;
- 1-2 marks: sufficient answer, but with gaps or only partly correct;
- 3-4 marks: fair answer, but not very thorough and with some possible errors, including in the language used;
- 5-6 marks: good to very good answer, correct and well researched, written in appropriate language.
The maximum mark (30/30, with or without distinction) is achieved by answering all the questions optimally.
A pass mark (18/30) is achieved by answering at least three out of five questions correctly and comprehensively.

During classes the interpretative reading of critical texts and of images will be carried out as methodological exercise to facilitate learning. The bibliography of the critical texts discussed by the teacher, as well as the images that will be considered during classes, will be available for students in the form of slides on the online platform Moodle (for copyright reasons both the images and the texts cannot be made available in any other way). Any visits to exhibitions and lectures by guest professors and experts in the field will be an integral part of the course – more information will be provided during classes.

Class attendance is recommended to all students.

Ca’ Foscari follows the Italian law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) for the support and accommodation services available to students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities. If you have either a motor, visual, hearing or another disability (Law 17/1999), or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010) and you require support (classroom assistance, technological aids for carrying out exams or personalized exams, accessible format material, note retrieval, specialist tutoring as study support, interpreters or other), please contact the Disability and DSA office disita@unive.it.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development