Paolo Di Paolo Captured Spectacular Photos Of Italy In The 1950s And 60s

Viareggio in 1959.

The “Paolo Di Paolo: Lost World” exhibition presents more than 250 largely unseen images from the photographer’s archive. Di Paolo chronicled life in his country as an economic boom followed the destruction of the second world war. Although those were the years of la dolce vita he was an anti-paparazzo – he shunned the salacious and respected his subjects. The exhibition is at MAXXI, the National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome until 30 June.

h/t: guardian

Rome’s Piazza Navona in 1960.

The funeral of the Communist party leader Palmiro Togliatti in Rome in 1964.

The actor, poet and soon-to-be film director Pier Paolo Pasolini at Rome’s “monte dei cocci” – an artificial mound made of ancient pottery fragments – in 1960.

Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni at Cinecittà film studios, Rome, in 1955.

The journalist Oriana Fallaci in Venice for the film festival in 1963

A fashion shot in Rome’s Tor di Nona district, 1957-58.

The US playwright Tennessee Williams at Tor San Lorenzo, south of Rome, in 1955.

Charlotte Rampling on the Sardinia set of Kidnapping in 1966.

A ball at Rome’s Palazzo Pallavicini in 1958.

The artist Renato Guttuso in Salita del Grillo, Rome, in 1964.

A couple stroll in Milan’s Via Monte Napoleone in 1962.

The newly opened Rome-to-Florence section of the “highway of the sun” in 1962.

Walter Chiari at Rome’s Fregene beach in 1959.

The actor Monica Vitti with the director Michelangelo Antonioni in Rome in 1958.

The actor Raquel Welch at Rome’s Hadrian’s Villa in 1966.

The actor Gina Lollobrigida with the artist and writer Giorgio de Chirico in Rome in 1961.

Marcello Mastroianni sips coffee in an undated image.

The actor Anna Magnani in her villa in San Felice Circeo, south of Rome, in 1955.

If you want more awesome content, subscribe to Design You Trust Facebook page.

More Inspiring Stories

"Colorize To Remember": Samir Belhamra Colorized Historic Images To Bring The Past To Life

Multiple Exposure Portraits by Christoffer Relander

Babies Recreate Famous Books

Photographer Captures The Touching Moments Of People Saying Goodbye To Their Pets

93-Year-Old Grandma & Her Grandson Dress-Up In Ridiculous Outfits, And It’s Brilliant

The Breathtaking Geometry Of America From Above

Beautiful Photos of the 1953 Studebaker Commander Starliner

Picture Hats: One Of The Favorite Fashion Styles Of Edwardian Women

Backstage Reality Of Russia: Atmospheric Photography Through A Skater’s Eyes

Couple Hilariously Recreates Newborn Photo Shoot with Their Puppy

Nicole Kidman for Harper's Bazaar Australia, June-July 2012

Vintage Photos of Stunning Custom Cars Painted by Larry Watson in the 1950s

Marvelous Dreamlike Portraits Of Redheads With Red Foxes By Alexandra Bochkareva

In 1898, Revolutionary French Artist Toulouse-Letrec Went To The Toilet On A Beach, His Friend Took These Photographs

Spectacular Award-Winning Photos from the International Photography Awards 2025

Photographer Steven Burton Photoshops Out Ex-Gang Members Tattoos

Rare Photos of A Young and Then Still-Unknown Marylin Monroe Hiking in The Woods, 1950

Photographer Uses Her Dad’s Old Slides To Create A Nostalgic Photo Series

Russian Photographer Kristina Makeeva Captures Women In Dresses Set Against Magical Landscapes

When LIFE Magazine Received Pics Of Still-Unknown Marilyn Monroe, They Replied “WTH Is Marilyn Monroe”

Breathtaking Photos Of Isolated Tribes From All Around The World

Amazing Winners Of The African Wildlife Foundation Photography Awards

Grandson Inherits His Grandfather’s Collection Of Unseen Street Photos Taken Over Half A Century Ago

Abnormal accumulation of fish in Acapulco, Mexico

"Neon Dreams": Photographer Matthieu Bühler Explores The Streets Of Tokyo At Night

Brooklyn-Based Photographer Hannah La Follette Ryan Has, For The Past 5 Years, Captured The Hands Of Passengers On The NYC Subway

Spectacular Winning Photos From The Underwater Photographer Of The Year 2020 Contest

Romanian Urban Explorer Captured An Abandoned Crematorium And Found Human Remains

Spectacular Stunning Winning Photos from the 2024 Mobile Photography Awards

Beautiful Photo Portraits Of Australian Women Painted In Vibrant Colors