Daniela Palazzoli, Italian art historian and curator, dies at 85

Daniela Palazzoli (1940–2025) died in Milan at age 85. The news was announced by Sirio Ortolani, founder of Osart Gallery and president of ANGAMC. Born in Milan in 1940, she graduated from the University of Milan and taught at the Politecnico di Milano's Faculty of Architecture. In the 1970s she became a professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, serving as its director from 1987 to 1992—the first and only woman to hold that position. A pioneering figure in recognizing photography as an autonomous art form, she organized key exhibitions including 'Per un’ipotesi di Con templ’azione' (1967) and 'I denti del drago' (1972), which led to her invitation to the Venice Biennale by Renato Barilli. Her section 'Il libro come luogo di ricerca' explored post-Gutenberg visual language. She authored volumes such as 'Fotografia, cinema, videotape' (1976) and 'Il corpo scoperto' (1988), and directed series for Electa, Bompiani, and Fratelli Fabbri. She curated shows for the Triennale di Milano, Musée d'Art Moderne de Nice, Fondazione Agnelli, Palazzo Strozzi, and other institutions.