Siena hosts Zangaki brothers photography exhibition

The exhibition ‘L’Oriente e i suoi volti. Il ritratto fotografico dei Fratelli Zangaki’ has opened at the Santa Maria della Scala in Siena. Curated by Lucia Simona Pacchierotti in collaboration with the Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia, the project is part of the 12th edition of Archivi Aperti.

The display features twenty-five images by the Zangaki brothers, who were prominent photographers of the Orient during the 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibition creates a dialogue between original 19th-century albumen prints from the Fototeca Briganti and contemporary prints based on Alinari Foundation originals, produced by the Atelier Fotografico di Siena.

Running from October 22, 2026, to January 25, 2027, the free exhibition explores the dual nature of photography as both a documentary tool and a constructed cultural imaginary, specifically regarding the depiction of Egypt for international markets and collectors.