Restoration of historical newspapers for the Gramsci Foundation

Recovery intervention aimed at the digitization of newspapers

Stefania Zeppieri | Conservazione e Restauro Beni Librari, Archivistici, Opere d'Arte su carta e manufatti Affini | Restauro Fondazione Gramsci

Notes about the restoration project

The restoration of newspapers represents a difficult challenge. Just think of the quality of the paper support, designed to last a day, the widespread and often used presence of adhesive tape of different types, generally complicated to remove.

The collection of historical newspapers of the Gramsci Foundation was in a very bad state of conservation. The individual newspaper issues were sewn and bound in large volumes.

From a historical and cultural point of view, these newspapers bear witness to a period of exceptional importance. The period from 1933 to 1939. These are publications that could not be printed in Italy and which therefore were the “voices” that shouted out of the chorus, in order not to succumb to the censures and restrictions of the fascist regime.

The articles written in these newspapers are of extraordinary beauty, with important signatures from all fields of culture. News articles, history, politics, art, children’s columns, comics, satirical cartoons and illustrations of all kinds.

Thanks to this recovery intervention, they can finally be easily digitized and consulted in full safety for the collection.