Representations of Disability in the Great Turin Exhibitions at the Turin of the Twentieth Century (1884-1911)

Many and diverse were the institutions for the disabled that took part in the great Turin exhibitions at the turn of the twentieth century. The official documents and the press coverage of the day portray disability as confined to the domain of charity or welfare, in keeping with both the policies of the liberal State and with the pitying and pious sentiment that typically informed attitudes to persons with disabilities. In the context of the exhibitions, the institutions for the deaf and dumb, blind, rickety and mentally retarded themselves de-emphasized their educational dimension, prioritizing helping their charges to successfully integrate into society.