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Giancarlo Costa - Collection Gems

Giancarlo Costa comes from a family with a strong shipping and navigation background, so it is not a surprise that he has travelled extensively across the planet's oceans and seas, using almost every type of equipment available to a sailor, journeying from Polynesia to Greenland, the USA, North and East Africa, as well as the Middle and Far East.

 

The painter Francesco Guardi sells his paintings in front of the Florian café. 1892. Giuseppe Bertini (1825-98) / Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Villa Reale, Milan, Italy / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
The painter Francesco Guardi sells his paintings in front of the Florian café. 1892. Giuseppe Bertini (1825-98) / Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Villa Reale, Milan, Italy / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images

 

Since 1965, Costa has been registered with the Register of Journalists in Italy, and in that same year he settled in Milan, where he continues to collaborate with trade magazines, specialising in iconographic research on behalf of newspapers and publishing houses. Bridgeman Images represents his photographic archive, which comprises over 100,000 images.

 

Garibaldi with the Thousand departs from Quarto (Genes) to Marsala (Sicily) in 1870, n.d (oil on canvas), Gerolamo Induno, (1827-90) / Civico Museo del Risorgimento, Milan, Italy / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Garibaldi with the Thousand departs from Quarto (Genoa) to Marsala (Sicily) in 1870, n.d (oil on canvas), Gerolamo Induno, (1827-90) / Civico Museo del Risorgimento, Milan, Italy / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images

 

Giancarlo Costa is also a diving consultant at the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan. He collaborates with the Maritime Museum of Cesenatico and with the Galata Museo del Mare of Genoa on their exhibitions and publications.

He lives in Milan with his wife, Barbara and their cat Oberon.

 

Paradiso, Canto 31 : The saintly throng form a rose in the empyrean (rose celeste), illustration from 'The Divine Comedy' by Dante Alighieri, 1885 (digitally coloured engraving), Gustave Dore, (1832-83) © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Paradiso, Canto 31 : The saintly throng form a rose in the empyrean (rose celeste), illustration from 'The Divine Comedy' by Dante Alighieri, 1885 (digitally coloured engraving), Gustave Dore, (1832-83) © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
The Leviathan, sea monster resembling the sea snake referred to in the Bible. Engraving of the 19th century, Gustave Dore, (1832-83) © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
The Leviathan, sea monster resembling the sea snake referred to in the Bible. Engraving of the 19th century, Gustave Dore, (1832-83) © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images

Click here to view all photographs by Giancarlo Costa.  

 

Our Content Partner Liaison Francesca Gallo asked him a few questions: 

 

How did your passion for photography start and how did your career as a photographer develop? 


I was 12 years old, I was given the camera I wanted... it all started there, but there was also school, and university, which I left just four exams before graduation to follow my passion.

 

French soldiers in a trench near the Crete de Vimy (Pas-de-Calais) in October 1915, French Photographer, (20th century) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
French soldiers in a trench near the Crete de Vimy (Pas-de-Calais) in October 1915, French Photographer, (20th century) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Portrait of Albert Einstein, 1921 (photo), Ferdinand Schmutzer, (1870-1928) (after) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Portrait of Albert Einstein, 1921 (photo), Ferdinand Schmutzer, (1870-1928) (after) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images


Are there institutions you have most enjoyed collaborating with, or material you consider most intriguing from a photographic and historical point of view?


After some experience in fashion and advertising, I started travelling and collaborating with magazines and encyclopaedias. In the 1950s there were a lot of them and travel photographs were in great demand. Then I had the opportunity to photograph in Museums and Libraries and I specialised in that area - it was the early 1960s. A lot was going on and a lot of books were being made. I don't know how many people read them, but they bought them...

 

Ernest Hemingway and Sylvia Beach in front of the 'Shakespeare and Company' bookshop, Paris, 12 rue de l'odeon - 1928, Hemingway has a bandeous head because he has just received his flush on his head. Colorised photo, Unknown photographer, (20th century) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Ernest Hemingway and Sylvia Beach in front of the 'Shakespeare and Company' bookshop, Paris, 12 rue de l'odeon - 1928. Colorised photo, Unknown photographer, (20th century) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images


One of the themes of your photographic archive is navigation. What content best represents this theme, and how is it related to the world of navigation from a personal and professional point of view?

 

A cinematic reconstruction of an action of the “frogmen” of the Second World War. Unknown Artist, (20th century) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
A cinematic reconstruction of an action of the “frogmen” of the Second World War. Unknown Artist, (20th century) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images


Ships and the sea, in general, have always been my great interest. I have sailed in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the Pacific, but my 'land' voyages have touched a bit all over Europe, Greenland, North and Central Africa, the Far East, Polynesia and New Zealand. But my archive is mainly historical, made up of paintings, objects and old prints.

 

Zoologist William Beebe, who reached 923 m deep with his bathysphere, wears a suit helmet under the Nermude Sea in 1927. (20th century) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Zoologist William Beebe, who reached a depth of 923 meters with his bathysphere, wears a suit helmet under the Nermude Sea in 1927. (20th century) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images


In your archive of images, you have beautiful examples of on ancient and classical music. Are there any music-related objects that you find most fascinating and/or rare? 


Every object has its own charm, especially when dealing with objects that belonged to musicians or famous people. Ancient illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages onwards have a special fascination, and it is a privilege to be able to leaf through them, which today is almost impossible due to conservation restrictions.

 

Kyrie manuscript of the “Messes of Mantua” by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525 - 1594), Italian composer / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Kyrie manuscript of the “Masses of Mantua” by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525 - 1594), Italian composer / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Antiphonary (manuscript of sacred music) with portrait of Doge Marino Zorzi at the bottom left., Italian School, (14th century) / Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Venice, Italy / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Antiphonary (manuscript of sacred music) with portrait of Doge Marino Zorzi at the bottom left., Italian School, (14th century) / Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Venice, Italy / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images


Another fascinating topic is the zodiacs and their representation in ancient manuscripts. Can you tell us about this project? Do you have a favourite image among them?

 

Representation of the Southern Hemisphere by Cellarius. 17th century book, Andreas Cellarius, (c.1596-1665) (after) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Representation of the Southern Hemisphere by Cellarius. 17th century book, Andreas Cellarius, (c.1596-1665) (after) / Private Collection / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images

 

Although I am not a fan of what is generically called the "occult," zodiacs are of interest to many people. That is why I always photographed them individually or in groups whenever I had the chance. Over time they have become quite a few. I believe that everyone's favourite image is the one that best represents their zodiac sign.

 

Persian Zodiac - miniature, 15th century, Persian School, (15th century) / Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Venice, Italy / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
Persian Zodiac - miniature, 15th century, Persian School, (15th century) / Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Venice, Italy / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
The zodiacal conjunctions after a treatise of astrology of Petrus de Dacia, 13th century. / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images
The zodiacal conjunctions after a treatise of astrology of Petrus de Dacia, 13th century. / © Giancarlo Costa / Bridgeman Images


Your profession and technology have evolved a lot over the years. What do you think is the biggest challenge for a photographer nowadays?


Well, there has been a huge change. First, for better or worse, 'black and white' is gone. As for colour, you can manipulate it to the point of changing it completely. This is useful when it comes to correcting an unrepeatable image, and in any case, it is always possible to change it until it is completely different. Perhaps in this case, one can no longer speak of photography in the traditional sense, but everything changes and one must always be ready to follow the changes without becoming dependent on them - it is not easy, but it has always been that way.
 

Click here to view all photographs by Giancarlo Costa.  



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Giancarlo Costa, an accredited Journalist in Italy, lives in Milan, where he collaborates with trade magazines, specialising in iconographic research on behalf of newspapers and publishing houses. Bridgeman Images is proud to represent his photographic archive, which comprises over 100,000 images.