Curiosity and Folklore in Tuscany: Posters from Prof. Odoardo Piscini's Collection in Florence

Curiosity and Folklore in Tuscany: Posters from Prof. Odoardo Piscini's Collection

From March 12 to April 2, the halls of Palazzo del Pegaso, home of the Regional Council of Tuscany in Florence, host an exhibition showcasing the extensive poster collection of Prof. Odoardo Piscini. Curated by Francesca Roberti, the show features sixty selected posters from an archive of more than 14,000 illustrated posters gathered over six decades.

The exhibition treats the poster as a cultural document: more than advertising, these sheets are visual records of customs, public rituals and social change across the 20th century in Tuscany. The works on display reveal the evolution of visual language, from early avant-garde influences to the stripped-down communication of the 1960s and later experiments.

Themes and highlights

• Popular festivals and traditions: from the Viareggio Carnival to the Palio of Siena;
• Civic events and public spectacles such as the Giostra del Saracino and the historic Florentine football;
• Political communication and shifting roles of women in society;
• Graphic styles that shaped the urban imaginary of Tuscany.

At the opening, speakers emphasized the collection's importance for collective memory: institutional remarks and scholars' comments highlighted how posters, before mass radio and television, were a primary public communication tool. Presenters described the archive as the result of a sustained, curiosity-driven effort, assembled not for market value but to document everyday life, popular celebrations and local politics.

The collection's ties to Empoli, where Piscini lived and taught, were also noted as central to the story: many pieces were gathered through local contacts, library research and field recovery. Piscini's son recalled that the selection reflected a desire to portray society broadly, including both popular and civic life.

This exhibition offers an important opportunity to explore Tuscany's visual history and provides scholars and visitors with material to interpret the recent past through graphic design and illustration. For opening hours and guided visits, check the Regional Council of Tuscany's official channels.