Italian Metamorphosis, 1943-1968

This book, published on the occasion of a major exhibition mounted by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, celebrates the flowering of Italian creativity in the twenty-five year period that began with the fall of the Fascist regime. After the devastation wrought by World War II, Italy underwent a massive reconstruction, touching off public debates that examined every sphere, from the formation of the new government, to the architectural style for rebuilding destroyed cities, to the choice between abstract and figurative art to best depict Italy's changing realities. By 1968 Italy had earned international success in many areas — most notably fashion, industrial design, and cinema — which contributed to seemingly miraculous economic growth. But many young Italians had begun to question the extravagant consumption and concomitant waste that were the by-products of economic expansion. Social upheaval, in the form of protests and strikes, brought this remarkable period to a close. The Italian Metamorphosis, 1945-1968 is the first book to bring together all aspects of Italian visual culture from this fascinating period. Through seventeen scholarly essays and hundreds of lavish full-color and duotone reproductions, this volume captures the era's greatest achievements in the fields of painting, sculpture, artists' crafts, literature, photography, cinema, fashion, architecture, and design. Also included are translations of major manifestos written by artists and critics, as well as an extensive chronology encompassing the cultural and political history of the period.