In addition to the large bibliographic collection, the Casanatense Library has a photographic heritage divided into various funds, closely linked to the bibliographic and archival ones of the library. Composed mostly of positives – including numerous black and white and color stereoscopic -, postcards and newspaper clippings for a total of about 9,000 pieces: a large documentation, purchased or received as a gift, able to provide an important testimony of the history and customs of a historical period that takes place between the first half of the 19th century and the early 2000s.

Manodori Sagredo Collection

Purchased in 1995 by Alberto Manodori Sagredo, it is a collection of period photographs – positives, stereoscopics, postcards – dating from 1860 to 1935, many of which were signed by prestigious photographers such as the Alinari Brothers, Giacomo Brogi, Francis Frith and published by publishers such as Underwood & Underwood; most are portraits, travel photos, scenes of everyday life, “genre scenes” reproduced in the studio or theatrical scenes from comedies performed in the theaters of the time.

Respighi Collection

Photographic series purchased, together with a nucleus of Papers from the Respighi Archive, in 1994 includes photographs, taken between 1891 and 1970, which portray the great musician Ottorino Respighi and his wife Elsa Olivieri Sangiacomo at various moments in their family and professional life – during tours around the world – or together with friends and colleagues.

Cairo Collection

It collects images, taken between 1990 and 2005, which have the city of Rome as the protagonist, highlighting not only the artistic, architectural and archaeological assets of the city but also curious details of the street furniture, scenes of everyday life and extraordinary events.

Sgambati Collection

Part of the larger Sgambati Archive purchased in 1994 containing correspondence, scores and printed works, it collects photographs that can provide us with a mirror of the social and cultural context in which Sgambati worked. There are many portraits of students, singers, musicians, composers, Italian and foreign conductors often accompanied by handwritten dedications as evidence of the esteem and gratitude they paid to the great maestro.

Casanatense Image Collection

It contains a series of photographs of the Library – reading rooms, entrances, monumental hall – as evidence of the architectural evolution and management of services that have taken place within the library over the centuries.

Read also:

Vintage photo

Rome in photos

Consult:

The photographic collection in the Digital Shelves