Claudia Morgagni: Woman, Graphic Designer, Teacher

Historical research on visual communication design, both at the Italian and international levels, has revealed a landscape primarily populated by significant male figures who have contributed to the development and evolution of the design discipline. However, when examined more closely, this landscape reveals the absence of many equally important female figures, often overlooked and understudied. If we look at the so-called golden age of Italian graphic design, very few female figures have emerged from the 1950s to the early 1970s. Those are regarded more as exceptions than as the result of contextualized and intentional historical research. Claudia Morgagni’s (1928–2002) figure is emblematic and unique: an audacious, modern, determined woman who defied established norms. She intertwined her professional life with that of an artist, educator, mother, and woman in constant pursuit of new linguistic expressions, never content with those embraced and appreciated by clients. In her projects, she gradually reduced iconographic elements, whether photographs or illustrations, shifting her focus toward a more dry, abstract, rigorous, and concise language.