Micro-histories of Female Protagonists for a More Inclusive History of Italian Graphic Design. A Tentative Attempt at a New Canon

The great histories of graphic design, both in Italy and internationally, reserve a secondary or minor role for women. Some publications have recently placed this question in critical form, trying to understand the reasons for it, as well as accounting gaps and absences. If we refer to what we could define as the golden age of Italian graphic design – between the 50s and the early 70s – few figures have emerged, more like exceptions than as a result of a contextualised and intentional historical research. The aim of this contribution is to underline sources, methods, and criteria to be adopted to achieve a possible rewriting of history in a more inclusive way, identifying a series of lesser-known personalities who have full rights to be considered pioneers and role models.