Rome hosts an exhibition celebrating the centenary of Carlo Riccardi at WEGIL 70 years of history through photography and painting. Press release and photos attached.
Opening: Tuesday, 3 November 2026, at 6:00
Kings and peasants, artists and powerful figures, stars of La Dolce Vita and children: through Carlo Riccardi’s lens, all distances disappear. On the centenary of the birth of the photographer, photojournalist and painter (Olevano Romano, 3 October 1926), Rome pays tribute to him with Riccardi 100. Towards the Human, an exhibition at WEGIL from 3 to 29 November 2026, open daily from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. The exhibition opens on Tuesday, 3 November, at 6:00 pm.
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The exhibition is promoted by the Lazio Region and organised in collaboration with LAZIOcrea, with Intesa Sanpaolo as main partner. It is curated by Lorenzo Imprescia and Maurizio Riccardi.
Organised around thematic sections, the exhibition draws on the extensive Riccardi Archive and spans more than seventy years of Italian history: post-war Rome, the era of La Dolce Vita, cinema, politics, the world of work, and the major social and cultural transformations of twentieth-century Italy.
“Both his photography and his painting reveal his sensitivity towards human beings,” says Simona Renata Baldassarre, Lazio Region Councillor for Culture, Equal Opportunities, Youth and Family Policies, and Civil Service, who is promoting the exhibition. “Introducing young people to this legacy means giving them the tools to understand where we come from and to look towards tomorrow with greater awareness.”
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A gaze that brings people closer
Riccardi captured celebrated figures and defining moments of the twentieth century, building a collection that today stands as a precious testament to Italy’s history and national identity. Yet the power of his images goes beyond documenting events: behind every face lies a story, and behind every gesture, a fragment of truth.
Through his lens, kings and peasants, powerful figures and children lose the distance that seems to separate them. Light finds its most authentic strength not in the glare of celebrity, but in everyday gestures, spontaneous expressions and the dignity of ordinary people—in what usually remains on the margins. This is the meaning behind the title Towards the Human: an invitation to recognise what we share and, through art, rediscover the value of the individual, memory and human connection.
From photography to painting
Alongside photography, Riccardi pursued an intense career in painting, addressing issues of social injustice. Through his large-scale works, art became a shared tool for participation and dialogue.
An archive of three million negatives
Carlo Riccardi’s legacy is preserved by the Riccardi Archive, which houses more than three million original negatives dating back to the post-war period. It is a documentary collection of extraordinary value, extending beyond the boundaries of photography and painting.
Riccardi 100 is more than a centenary celebration: it is an opportunity to rediscover the human value of a gaze that gave visibility to those at risk of remaining unseen.
Exhibition: Carlo Riccardi. Towards the Human
Venue: WEGIL, Largo Ascianghi 5, Rome
Opening: Tuesday, 3 November 2026, at 6:00 pm
Open to the public: 3–29 November 2026
Opening hours: Daily, 10:00 am–7:00 pm
