Franco Zagari in 2007.
This week we sadly note the death of famed Italian photographer Franco Zagari, who passed away on August 15th at the Maggiore hospital after a fight with cancer.
Photographs by Zagari and from his collections graced many outstanding books, some of the best produced with his longtime friend Luigi Orsini.
Below, Matt Spitzley and Graham Gauld fondly recall Franco Zagari. Our thanks to Matt and Di Spitzley for permission to use some of Zagari’s favorite photographs.
Since purchasing Franco Zagari’s archive from him in 1999, we had the good fortune to visit him in Budrio annually. He showed us great hospitality with visits to many interesting architectural and historic sites in Reggio N’ell Emilia as well as various car museums and collectors. He was extremely proud of Bologna’s reputation for good food and made sure we tried all the local delicacies.
1925 Berceto - Antonio Ascari takes a break, Giuseppe Campari is in the Alfa. Spitzley-Zagari Collection.
His study and darkroom were an absolute delight – an ordered chaos brimming with images and memorabilia of his life.
He had various health problems during recent years but was always cheerful and unfailingly polite and we extend our sympathy to his son Luca, daughter Maddalena and her three children.
By Graham Gauld
Franco Zagari was never one to promote himself. He lived modestly in the small medieval village of Budrio east of Bologna. He and his father were both photographers who loved motor racing, and they steadily built up a remarkable collection of images that were not only their own, but also included photo archives bought from a number of their motor racing friends.
I will remember Franco for his friendliness and hospitality. He always found it strange that he had met a Scotsman who did not drink the whisky he always proffered before we sat down to talk.
1931 Tre Provincie - Luigi Arcangeli and admirers. Spitzley-Zagari Collection.
Conversations were always broken up by Franco jumping up and taking me into the “office” where he had his chemicals, enlarger and dishes. He had drawers with some of the cameras he and his father had used. There was always the cigarette not far away.
Mugello 1929 – Giuseppe Campari and Minoia. Spitzley-Zagari Collection.
Franco had not only managed to type out a sort of catalogue of all the images, but written in such a way that there was almost a code. Yet, as with most photographers, he could ferret out the oddest photograph simply from memory. I was always impressed by his collection of rare glass plate negatives. For instance, he had over 100 glass plates of the 1921 Italian Grand Prix meeting, which was the first Italian Grand Prix held at Brescia before it moved to Monza the following year. This meeting lasted a week and not only had races for cars but motor cycles, bicycles and even airplanes. The light car race was won convincingly by Bugatti with the new Type 13 which thereafter was always called the Brescia.
Towards the end of the 1990s, and after his wife died, Franco lost interest in the toil of seeking out and printing up photos for countless books produced around the world. He and his friend Luigi Orsini produced these wonderful books on Maserati, OSCA, Ferrari and Bugatti which are treasured today.
Franco Zagari, left and Matt Spitzley share a moment.
I was last with Franco Zagari when he came to the Monaco Historic meeting a few years ago and he was obviously enjoying being back amongst racing cars again. We talked for ages and it is a happy memory of a memorable man.