Eisenstaedt on display between Abano Terme and Venice: two venues to reread the 20th century

An exhibition project across two venues, just a few miles apart, offers a comprehensive rereading of the work of Alfred Eisenstaedt, a central figure in twentieth-century photography. Alfred Eisenstaedt. Photography was in the Air, curated by Monica Poggi, takes place between the Villa Bassi Rathgeb Museum in Abano Terme (Padua) and the Naval Historical Museum in Venice, with the aim of restoring to the public the complexity of one of the main interpreters of the photojournalistic language of the last century. The two exhibitions, conceived as complementary, can be visited from May 16 to September 20, 2026 in Abano Terme and from May 22 to November 22, 2026 in Venice, respectively.

The project, produced by CAMERA - Centro Italiano per la Fotografia and organized by the City of Abano Termein conjunctionwith D’Uva, manager of the MUNAV, is based on a unified layout that distributes content between the two venues, inviting the public to engage with a broad and articulate narrative. The initiative is part of a context of collaboration between institutions and territories, proposing a reflection on the spread and impact of photography during the 20th century.

The title echoes a reflection by Eisenstaedt himself referring to Germany after World War I, a period marked by intense cultural vitality. It was in this context that the photographer was formed and began his work, in an environment that lay between the pictorial tradition and the new possibilities offered by reportage. His career developed between the Europe of the 1920s and the United States of the 1930s, where he moved permanently in 1935.

In the United States Eisenstaedt embarked on a long collaboration with Life magazine, which lasted more than 30 years. During this period he produced more than 2,500 photo shoots and over ninety covers, contributing significantly to the construction of the visual imagery of the twentieth century. His production is distinguished by his ability to traverse different contexts and themes while maintaining a stylistic consistency and a direct approach to the subject.

Among his best-known images is the shot taken on August 14, 1945 in Times Square, known as V-J Day in Times Square, which depicts the sudden kiss between a sailor and a nurse during celebrations for the end of World War II. The image has become one of the most recognizable photographs of the century, a symbol of a specific historical moment and its media representation. The exhibition also traces the work done in Europe between the wars, documenting the tensions preceding the rise of Nazism. This includes, among others, the well-known portrait of Joseph Goebbels, evidence of the photographer’s focus on key figures in the political context. Alongside such images, the itinerary includes subjects of a more intimate nature, related to dance and theater, observed with an approach that recalls pictorial sensibilities.

In the United States, Eisenstaedt focused his attention on contemporary society, described through images characterized by irony and dynamism. The reportages he made in Ethiopia and Japan further broaden the scope of his investigation, addressing themes of conflict, reconstruction, and social transformation after World War II. An important part of his output consists of portraits of personalities in politics, science and entertainment.

Among the subjects photographed are Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Marilyn Monroe, and Sophia Loren. These images highlight Eisenstaedt’s ability to establish an immediate relationship with the protagonists, rendering often unconventional aspects of them. Through its division into two venues, the exhibition project proposes a reading that develops by thematic and chronological nuclei, offering a comprehensive view of Eisenstaedt’s work.

Eisenstaedt on display between Abano Terme and Venice: two venues to reread the 20th century

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