The Coeclerici Foundation has acquired the Archivio Fotografico Francesco Leoni (the Francesco Leoni Photo Archive). Over three million photographs from 1930 to the 1990s make up an extraordinary collection of images of Genoa, due to their subjects – events, customs, society and politics – and to the type and amount of material.
Francesco Leoni (Genoa, 1925 – 2000) was one of the leading exponents of photojournalism in the ’50s and ’60s. He immortalised war-torn Genoa, scarred by Allied bombing, and bore witness to the difficult recovery of the post-war years. He photographed demonstrations in the city squares and important political events. He was able to document the great changes of the economic boom and photograph the leading figures of the age, who would disembark the transatlantic liners that docked in Genoa, including actors, directors, writers and politicians.
As well as Leoni’s work, the archive contains another four archives added over the years, with images by other colleagues, namely Metra, Vivenzio Pagano, Castellò and Raffin.

The Foundation has made the Archivio Fotografico Francesco Leoni available to Galata Museo del Mare to begin a project that includes cataloguing and digitalising the images, together with setting up museum spaces to host exhibitions and video screenings, offering this immense photographic heritage to the public.