Art historian Ferdinando Bologna dies at 93

Ferdinando Bologna, a prominent Italian art historian and professor emeritus at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, died at his home in Ocre (L'Aquila) at age 93. A student of Pietro Toesca in Rome, he began his career as a young official at the Soprintendenza of Naples alongside Raffaello Causa, curating the historic exhibition 'Sculture lignee della Campania' in 1950. That same year, he co-founded the journal 'Paragone' with Roberto Longhi, publishing his early studies on Andrea Delitio and Saturnino Gatti. Bologna's research focused on the art of the Kingdom of Naples, with major works including 'I pittori della corte angioina di Napoli, 1266-1414' (1969), 'Napoli e le rotte mediterranee della pittura' (1977), and monographs on Francesco Solimena (1958) and Gaspare Traversi (1980). He also wrote on industrial design in 'Dalle arti minori all'industrial design. Storia di una ideologia' (1972) and edited the series 'Storia dell'Arte in Italia' for UTET. He taught methodology and history of art criticism at the University Suor Orsola Benincasa in Naples. His work spanned from the 13th to the 20th century, emphasizing a broad historical and political context.