Primo tentativo fatto in Italia del Sig. Tassinari farmacista e chimico in Castel Bolognese 1839 - 1840

Sebastiano Tassinari, a pharmacist and chemist in Castel Bolognese, Italy, made this early photographic print. It's titled "First attempt made in Italy." Tassinari’s notation highlights the sense of national pride in early photography. We can consider this image in light of Italy’s Risorgimento, the 19th-century movement for Italian unification. The production of art and science was tied up with the project of imagining a new, modern Italy that could compete with other European nations. Moreover, the production of photographic images would have been important for documenting Italy’s rich cultural heritage in a time of rapid change. This print, while abstract, embodies a forward-looking spirit, with the new medium of photography offering the promise of a more scientific approach to art. To further understand this image, we might consult Italian scientific journals and publications from the mid-19th century, as well as museum records that document the history of photography.