Silvia Meneghini's 'Il mio diario di storia dell'arte' Transforms Art History into a Personal Sketchbook

Silvia Meneghini has published 'Il mio diario di storia dell'arte', an illustrated activity book that turns art history into a personal artist's book. Published by Artebambini in 2023, the 265-page book uses a minimalist aesthetic with black-and-white pencil drawings and a recognizable font to encourage readers to fill pages with drawings, photos, clippings, and ideas. The book is designed for all ages—children, teenagers, teachers, and adults—and aims to overcome the fear of the blank page. Meneghini developed the concept from a new didactic method she began experimenting with years ago, where art is learned through comparison with major works in a continuous dialogue between past and present. The project grew from a sketchbook into a published book after growing interest. Meneghini, who teaches, draws, curates events, and lectures in museums, credits her university internship for sparking her passion for art education. The book has seen overwhelming success in sales and online engagement via Instagram and the hashtag #ilmiodiariodistoriadellarte, building a community. Meneghini plans to test the book in her classroom next year.