Pavia in posa: il racconto dello sviluppo fotografico della città dai pionieri a Guglielmo Chiolini.

The article explores the history of photography in Pavia, highlighting the rich tradition developed since the mid-19th century and the central role of Guglielmo Chiolini, a key figure of the 20th century. Pavia, though distant from major European capitals, has served as a significant center for photography, thanks to its vibrant cultural and intellectual environment. Since the arrival of the daguerreotype in 1839, photography has evolved through a combination of technical innovation and social dynamism, documenting the transformation of the city and its society. Guglielmo Chiolini, founder of the "Chiolini & Turconi Photographic Workshop" in 1926, contributed to shaping the image of Pavia through three main phases: landscape photography inspired by Romanticism, propagandistic documentation during the Fascist regime, and specialization in industrial photography during the economic boom. His work captures urban transformations, public and private events, and the emergence of the city's new industrial identity. Preserved in the Civic Museums of Pavia, Chiolini's archive, comprising over 800,000 photographic units, represents a valuable historical and cultural record. It demonstrates how local photography can narrate not only the events of a city but also the national and international dynamics of the 20th century.