The Mostra autarchica del Minerale italiano () was a propaganda exhibition held from November 1938 to May 1939 in Rome near the Circus Maximus. Spanning around 35,000 square metres (approximately 8.5 acres), the exhibition comprised 26 pavilions and attracted over a million visitors. It highlighted Italy's mineral resources, promoting economic independence (autarky) through modern pavilions, featuring industrial displays and a full-scale marble quarry.
The exhibition was organized by the National Fascist Party and was directed by Cipriano Efisio Oppo, who was in charge of artistic direction, and Luigi Mancini, who was in charge of technical direction. Mario De Renzi, Giovanni Guerrini, Mario Paniconi and Giulio Pediconi were responsible for the artistic and architectural planning.
The aim of the Mostra autarchica del minerale italiano was to celebrate Italy's progress in exploiting its mineral resources and promote economic self-sufficiency, thereby downplaying the economic sanctions imposed by the League of Nations following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. It was part of the regime's efforts to cultivate an image of strength and technological prowess, aimed at fostering a sense of national pride.
Each pavilion was dedicated to a different mineral, such as pyrite, lead, zinc, aluminium, mercury and marble. Other pavilions addressed cultural and political topics. These included a Pavilion of Italian Africa, designed by Franco Petrucci and Carlo Enrico Rava to showcase the different kinds of mining in the recently formed Italian East Africa, and a Pavilion of the Defence of the Race, designed within the mining sector by Enrico Prampolini. Of particular importance was the Pavilion of Weapons, which showcased the evolution of weapons in Italy from antiquity to Fascism and reflected the idea of the "inevitability of war".
The focal point of the exhibition complex was the large aluminium imperial eagle, designed by the sculptor Romeo Gregori, which stood out against the monumental Pavilion of Autarchy, Research and Inventions, designed by the architects Ernesto Puppo and Annibale Vitellozzi. The exhibition concluded with the Pavilion of Land Reclamation, which showcased the regime's land reclamation programmes. It was designed by the architects Leonardo Bucci, Francesco Fariello, Giovanni Guerrini, Saverio Muratori, Roberto Nicolini, Ludovico Quaroni and Francesco Santini. Inside and outside the building, there were two pumping stations that were identical to those used for the Pontine reclamation works (1926âÂÂ1939) and were constantly operational. There was also a 41-metre drilling tower built by Agip for oil exploration that was constantly in use.
As with the Exhibition of the Fascist Revolution, the Mostra autarchica del Minerale italiano featured prominent Italian artists of the time, such as Marcello Nizzoli and Giancarlo Palanti, and made extensive use of photomontages, installations and sculptures. The exhibition had a significant impact on architectural design and construction during the final years of fascism, ultimately shaping the developments of Italian post-war architecture.