Chronicle of Absence

Development of the project Chronicle of Absence: original pages of La Domenica del Corriere, Chronicle of Absence #01

Chronicle of Absence #01

Attacked deep within a Polish forest by a monstrous bear, a poacher – armed with naught but a single knife – engaged in a relentless struggle with the savage beast, and, after a full hour of brutal combat, at last brought it down.

Chronicle of Absence #05

A bold rescue was carried out by three Carabinieri on the glaciers of the Matterhorn, in Valtournanche [sic]. Responding to the cries of a Swiss mountaineer who was barely holding onto his companion, fallen into a crevasse, with a rope, the brave soldiers managed, through a risky manoeuvre, to recover and save the fallen climber.

Chronicle of Absence #07

The Engineless Flight Over the Alps. The Swiss glider pilot Farner flew over the Alps in an aircraft without an engine, towed by an airplane. In the span of two hours, he completed the journey from Zurich to Milan. Upon reaching an altitude of two thousand metres above the Taliedo airport, he detached from the towing aircraft and gently descended onto the field.

Chronicle of Absence #08

The Jungle in Flames. The British have succeeded in breaking the resistance of the Indian rebels concealed within the impenetrable depths of the jungle – by setting it ablaze. Now, the burning, crackling forest echoes only with the roars and screams of fleeing animals.

Chronicle of Absence #09

The Attack of the Tanks and Infantry. A scene from the Great Manoeuvres held in the Apennines, in the lively presence of the King and the Duce.

Chronicle of Absence #11

The Hunter’s Surprise. In the Chantilly Forest, near Paris, a hunter was suddenly confronted by a ferocious panther. With a swift shot from his rifle, he managed to bring the beast down. The creature, having escaped from a nearby private menagerie, had terrorized the local residents for two days.

Chronicle of Absence #14

Playing with Death. A daring young man confronted a thirty-metre waterfall on the Narva River in Estonia. Throwing himself into the water upstream, he swam towards the edge of the falls and, to the thrill of the spectators, allowed himself to be carried away by the furious current, managing, against all odds, to reach the shore.

Chronicle of Absence #15

Violent forest fires, sparked by drought, have erupted in various locations across Southern England, quickly growing into a terrifying force. Firefighters and soldiers battled the flames with great difficulty, hampered by a severe water shortage, while local residents stood by, helpless, witnessing the horrific spectacle of destruction unfold.

Chronicle of Absence #16

Four Alsatian mountaineers, attempting the perilous ascent of Hebertet in the Aosta Valley, at nearly four thousand metres, were caught by surprise near the summit as a sudden rockslide rumbled down the mountain. Hearing the roar,
they managed to dodge the falling boulders; but the leader of the group was grazed by the heavy stones, and one of his companions had to swiftly amputate a crushed finger with a pocketknife, right there on the spot.

Chronicle of Absence #18

The Drama of a Shepherdess. In the Ferret Valley, in the province of Aosta, a shepherdess fell into a ravine and became entangled, above the precipice, in a shrub that was protruding from the rock. Miraculously saved, but injured and unconscious, the poor girl was left suspended in the void for several hours until the frantic arrival of her parents.

Lorenzo Fusi, Marzia Migliora. Struggle for Existence, Dario Cimorelli Editore, Milan, 2025