European Commission - 7th Framework Programme European Museums and Libraries in/of the age of migrations last updated: February 2015


Antonio Aimi

Graduated in Philosophy, Antonio Aimi is an americanist, who works on the interpretation of sources (texts and archaeological items) of Pre-Columbian Cultures, with an interdisciplinary approach (combining Anthropology, History, History of Literature, Aesthetic). He studied the Amerindian items of the eclectic Milanese collections of the XVI-XIX centuries; he has been studying the figurative language of the sculptures of the Proto-Classical cultures of West Mexico and he is following the issues raised in Europe from the opening or the transformation of ethnographical museums. Furthermore his research on the ethno-historical sources clarified that the “official” version of the Aztec interpretation of the conquest of Mexico is an invention of Cortés himself.
From 2006 and 2009 he has been co-director of the activities of the Università degli Studi di Milano, in the frame of the Prodesipán Project (North Coast of Perù).
From 2010 he is the co-director of the activities of the Università degli Studi di Milano in the frame of the Propomac Project (North Coast of Perù).
From 1982 to 2003 he was curating consultant for the Pre-Colombian Collection of the “Civiche Raccolte d’Arte Applicata ed Incisioni” in the Castello Sforzesco of Milano.
From 1995 he writes articles about Pre-Columbian art and ethnographical museums and exhibitions for the periodicals: “Archeo”, “Il Sole 24 Ore”, “Il Giornale dell’Arte”, “Tribal Art”.
From 2003 he is Adjunct Professor at the Università degli Studi di Milano.


Main exhibitions he has organized as curator or co-curator:
L'or des Incas: origines et mystères”, Pinacothèque de Paris, Parigi, 2010
Inca: origine e misteri delle civiltà dell’oro, Santa Giulia, Brescia; 2009
L’oro del Perù, Palazzo Chiericati, Vicenza, 2007
Perù, tremila anni di capolavori, Palazzo Strozzi, Firenze, 2003
Musaeum Septalianum, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Milano, 1984


Selected Publications:
Aimi Antonio, Walter Alva, Emilia Perassi (editors). 2008. Sipán, el tesoro de las tumbas reales, Giunti, Firenze, pp. 190
Aimi Antonio. 2008. Maya e Aztechi. Milano: Electa. pp. 384
Aimi Antonio. 2004. Moctezuma, Milano: Mondadori. 2004, pp. 111
Aimi Antonio. 2002. La “vera” visione dei vinti: la conquista del Messico nelle fonti azteche. Roma: Bulzoni-CNR. pp. 190
Aimi Antonio. 2002. Messico. Milano: Mondadori. pp. 288
Aimi Antonio. 2003. Mesoamerica. Milano: Leonardo Arte. pp. 144