From 15th May to 26th July, the photographic and documentary exhibition entitled ‘Fulco Ruffo di Calabria: with us Italian aviation was born’. The exhibition, whose principal curator is Paolo Varriale, one of the leading experts on Italian aviation during the First World War, is held under the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic and Her Majesty Queen Paola of Belgium, the youngest daughter of the flying ace, with the sponsorship of the Institute for Cultural Heritage of the Emilia-Romagna Region and in collaboration with the Italian Air Force. “This collection would not have come to light had the story of the steadfast friendship between two ‘enemies’ of the First World War, Fulco Ruffo di Calabria and Guillaume Siemienski, not driven me to carry out more in-depth research, progressively revealing to me the character traits, ideals, expectations and disappointments of my father, a young aviator eager to serve his country…”. These are the opening words of the book Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, ‘Carnets de vol (1915-1918)’, a substantial volume published in a limited edition and circulation, recently coordinated by Queen Paola, which constitutes a daughter’s personal tribute to her courageous father and the prelude to the exhibition event in Lugo.
The exhibition, set up on the top floor of the Museum, brings together for the first time a body of materials and documents of exceptional interest revealed in Queen Paola's book. There are seventy photographs, largely previously unseen, accompanied by a meticulous critical apparatus, provided by public and private archives, as well as memorabilia from various museums. Several letters from Ruffo to Baracca, on loan from the Trisi Library in Lugo, complete the exhibition. “An exhibition of this level, with such prestigious collaborations, represents an absolute first for us, which helps to make the process of renewal of our museum even more dynamic,” highlights the Mayor of Lugo, Raffaele Cortesi. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue, edited by Paolo Varriale and Daniele Serafini, featuring a selection of the images and materials on display, alongside some writings by Ruffo himself. The exhibition, open to the public from Saturday 15th May, will be presented on the afternoon of Wednesday 12th with a private preview reserved for authorities and the pilot's family members. Colonel Paolo Cianfanelli, Commander of the 5th Wing of Cervia (Ravenna), will participate on behalf of the Italian Air Force. The ceremony will take place in the Salone Estense of the Rocca di Lugo, the Town Hall: followed by the laying of a wreath at the Baracca Monument and, to close, the ribbon-cutting at the Museum.
