The first forms of advertisements date back centuries: on the walls of some houses in Pompei, which was destroyed by the volcano eruption, some writings have been found, which announced events, shows and competitions or persuaded people to vote for a given candidate. However, before the print invention, advertising was made through oral channels, like barkers and criers. With the print invention, in the 15th century, the first advertisements were published in newspapers, but it was during the Industrial Revolution, thus with the increase in production, products variety and competition between entrepreneurs, that the need of promoting products and informing customers arose, contributing to the birth of a type of advertising which was very similar to nowadays advertisements. In Italy, which was industrially and economically underdeveloped if compared to other countries, the first advertisements began to be widespread between the middle of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, both in newspapers and through posters, which soon became the main means of mass communication, and in the first half of the 20th century they were considered not only as an instrument to promote products, but also as a means of artistic expression.
Between the 20s and the 40s Italy underwent a particular period, characterised by political and social changes and industrial development. These years were marked by mass culture and production, fascism and propaganda, conquests and enthusiasm for modernity. In this period advertisements, which spread rapidly, became also a field of research and experimentation for artists: in this period some of the most important 20th century’s artists, like Adolfo Wild, Duilio Cambellotti, Mario Sironi, Lucio Fontana and the futurists Balla, Depero and Prampolini, realised advertisements.
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The exhibition “Art and Advertising. Italian Advertisement and Avant-Gardes 1920-1940” is meant to show the evolution of art in advertising displaying books, posters and sketches realised in the first half of the 20th century: book now a 2 star hotel in Rome and visit the 6 sections of the exhibition, to discover how art and advertisement have changed through time, from the graphic refinement of the beginning of the century to the colouring of Futurism, to expressionism and rationalism. Taking advantage of Rome travel deals you will have the possibility to discover how in those years political propaganda mixed with art experimentation, revealing the communication and symbolic power of advertisements, but you will appreciate the displayed posters not only in virtue of their artistic value, but also for their historical importance: advertisements, indeed, tell us something more about Italy’s politics, habits, and industrial and economic development in the 20th century.
Do not miss this interesting exhibition: book now a cheap bed and breakfast in Rome.
Date: 26th February – 24th May 2009
Location: Musei di Villa Torlonia - Casino dei Principi, Rome, Italy
