Intimate WWI Photographs by Sienese Soldiers on View at Santa Maria della Scala

The Santa Maria della Scala in Siena presents 'Fotografi in trincea', an exhibition of amateur photographs taken by 36 soldiers from the province of Siena during World War I. Among them were future Podestà of Siena Fabio Bargagli Petrucci, Count Guido Chigi Saracini (founder of the Accademia Chigiana), and artist Mino Maccari. Of the 36, 27 returned home, 7 died, and 2 were discharged due to severe injuries. The show features 100 mostly unpublished photographs selected from 2,500 images across 22 private archives and 18 paper archives (letters, postcards, diaries). The images capture rest, camaraderie, and the aftermath of battle rather than combat itself. Sixteen paintings by Giulio Aristide Sartorio, on loan from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and an audio installation with readings from diaries complete the exhibition. The show runs until January 15, 2017.