Photographic Documentation of the Displays of the Galleria Nazionale in Parma (1912-1967): The Case Study of the Sala Ovale

The visual history of the Galleria Nazionale of Parma is extensively documented by photographic sources produced or commissioned by the Ministry of Education, which was responsible for the conservation, protection, and promotion of Italy’s public historical and artistic heritage until 1975. This vast documentation allows for an in-depth study of the museographic history of Parma’s public heritage, whose layout was designed by some of the most influential Italian officials of the 20th century. Particularly interesting is how the museum retained Corrado Ricci’s 19th-century design for an extended period. It was only updated to 1930s museographical models after World War II, following Armando Ottaviano Quintavalle’s intervention. In the late 1940s, the need to rebuild the museum—which had been severely damaged by bombing in 1944—facilitated a radical transformation of the exhibition. This redesign was finally based on modern display techniques and advanced historical and artistic research. Sources regarding the Sala Ovale summarize this transformation between 1912 and 1967, culminating in Augusta Ghidiglia Quintavalle’s layout, which aimed to enhance both the works on display and the exhibition space itself.