Photographs

As far as the history of photography in Rome is concerned, the Municipal Photographic Archives contain images of remarkable interest. They show the evolution of photography from its beginnings, about mid nineteenth century, up to our days. Originally, the collection only consisted of a small number of photos collected in the thirties, when the Museum of Rome was founded. Basically, it comprised pictures of how the city was being torn apart and demolished in accordance with the 1883 Town Development Plan and later, under the Fascist Government. This collection, which is important for the urbanistic and topographical history of Rome, grew from 1953 on, thanks to the then manager of the Museum Carlo Pietrangeli, who organised the Exhibition of Photography in Rome from its beginnings to 1915, after which many of the works exhibited were given to the Museum. The photos, all set in Rome, portray views, archaeological sites and portraits. They were taken by the most famous photographers of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, who used the main techniques: daguerreotype, calotype, collotype, albumin printing and silver bromide gelatine. The collection of photos regarding the beginning of photography in Rome is quite significant as it consists of rather rare and beautiful images, caught between 1850 and 1860, proof of the rapid success of photography, particularly for views. The extensive archives of negatives houses glass plates, some very large, and flat films containing entire photographic collections of notable historical and documentary value.