Present in the Zeri Photo Archive are some groups of phothos of paintings that Zeri used to keep separate from the huge Italian Painting section; still in the original order, it is today cataloguedand mostly online. This groups, in the Varie section, have not yet being properly described or studied.
The Casi nucleus, on which Zeri wose working with a view to publishing some scientific articles, comprises around 500 phothos divided by artist in monographic folders. In 2019 this nucleus underwent a preliminary overview by the Foundation Scientific commitee. The results of that overview partly appeared in the volume Federico Zeri: lavori in corso edited by Andrea Bacchi, Daniele Benati, Andrea De Marchi, Aldo Galli, Mauro Natale, but many dossiers are still unpublished.
There is also a section that Zeri defined as Problemi. It contains over 1,200 photographs of paintings that are hard to place culturally or attrbute, even for his infallible eye. He kept them apart, divided by century and themes (Portraits, Madonnas and Holy Families, Gospel characters, Biblical themes, Profaine themes) pending other research by him perhaps.
Lastly, several thousands phothos 'da riordinare', simply divided by century. It is assumed that Zeri had often found attribution for works reproduced, but simply lacked time toplace the phototypes in the right folders under author or school.
The photographs in the Varie series come from photographic studios, auction houses, antiquarians or collectors and largely reproduce paintings on the art market between the 1940s and 1990s or mentioned in private collections; they are sometimes accompanied by letters, memos or copies of expertises by various scholars.
On the back there are often notes by Zeri or others informing about the collection and conservation history.
The scientific project entails overview and study of materials as well as the description of phototypes. The fact files will be published in the Zeri Foundation online database.
The fellow should lastly report on the outcome of her/his research on the Problemi and new proposals for classifying the 'da riordinare' folders.
The research fellowship will terminate by December 2025.
EMANUELA AND SILVANO MERLATTI FOR THE FEDERICO ZERI FOUNDATION