The Impact of Italian Photographers in the Mediterranean Countries during the 19th Century

Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia in partnership with the Marubi National Museum of Photography and with the support of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Tirana, is pleased to announce a Call for Papers for the upcoming conference "The Impact of Italian Photographers in the Mediterranean Countries during the 19th Century", focused on the influence of Italian photographers in Mediterranean countries during the 19th century.

This conference will explore the significant impact of Italian photographers who not only traveled across the Mediterranean but also established photographic studios and professional practices that endured in the region. Their work played a crucial role in shaping local photographic traditions, artistic sensibilities, and documentary practices.

A special focus will be dedicated to Pietro Marubbi, an Italian photographer who settled in Albania and founded the studio in Shkodër that later became the foundation of the famous Marubi photographic archive.

Themes and Topics
We invite scholars and researchers to submit papers exploring a variety of topics related to Italian photographers in the Mediterranean during the 19th century, including but not limited to:
- Case studies of Italian photographers who established studios in Mediterranean countries
- The photographic techniques used by Italian photographers in the 19th century
- The impact of Italian photographic studios on local photographic traditions
- The role of Italian photographers in the commercialization and institutionalization of photography in the Mediterranean
- Contributions of Italian photographers to the artistic and historical heritage of the region
- How photography helped spread Mediterranean culture and ideas
- The role of photography in shaping tourism and public perception of the Mediterranean

Submission Details
We welcome submissions from scholars and researchers interested in these topics.

Proposals should include:
- An abstract (maximum 800 words)
- A short biography of the author (maximum 300 words)

Conference Languages: English, Italian, Albanian

Registration Fee: None

Important Deadlines
- Abstract Submission Deadline: 15 June 2025
- Notification of Acceptance: 15 July 2025
- Submission of Full Paper and Slides: 15 September 2025

For more information and to submit your proposal, please contact: infomarubi.gov.al

For the full call for papers please see the website in Italian: https://www.alinari.it/it/news/call-for-papers-marubi-museum-ita
English version (actually under construction): https://www.alinari.it/en/news/call-for-papers-marubi-museum-eng

Scientific Committee
Claudia Baroncini, Director of the Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia
Luçjan Bedeni, Director of the Marubi Museum
Cosimo Chiarelli, Assistant Professor of the University of Pisa
Zef Paci, Professor of Art History and Painting at the Faculty of Visual Arts of the University of Arts in Tirana
Alessandro Ruggera, Director of the Istituto italiano di Cultura in Tirana
Rita Scartoni, Project manager of the Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia
Emanuela Sesti, Photography historian and scientific consultant for the Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia