Alessandro Giraudo, Altre storie straordinarie delle materie prime, 2021

Since the beginning of civilisation, raw materials have been essential for the development of our societies. They have fuelled wealth and wars, espionage and contraband. Merchants and bankers, spies and scientists, explorers and navigators, all fought to discover their secret and control their market. Honey, ambergris, Venetian pearls, rags, Indian or American cotton. Cadavers, coral, talcum powder, sunflowers, Marco Polo’s black stones (coal). Salamander’s wool (asbestos), cola and angelica… Crazes and fashions create and destroy fortunes by upsetting economic, social and political balances. After the success of ‘Storie straordinarie delle materie prime’ (Extraordinary stories of raw materials), Alessandro Giraudo continues his tale of world history with 40 new materials that make up a fresco full of adventures and twists.