The Federico Zeri Foundation archive is comprised of many documents found among the scholar's photographs. They are notes on his work, expertises, restoration reports, correspondence with collectors, antiquarians and scholars, pamphlets, extracts from journals or volumes, drafts of articles.
Linked physically to photos and books, this material adds to the information on artworks provided by the Zeri Photo Archive and Library, and supplies data useful in reconstructing a cultural history of the twentieth century.
The most precious part consists of 320 typescript expertises, copies that Zeri kept along with his photo archive.
With support from the
Ministry for the Cultural Heritage, Directorate General for Archives, the Federico Zeri Foundation has designed software enabling individual documents to be described in detail and linked to files on the artworks they refer to. Via the
Attached Documents Catalogue users may consult the materials and research into authors, destinees, typology, subject and chronology of the documents. Where of outstanding significance, the descriptive record is accompanied by a digital photo. This database is destined to be completed with documents found in the Library.
In order to help build the archive, the Foundation accepts either copies or original letters, articles, and surveys documenting the research and work of Federico Zeri in
regard to art history and the protection of Italy's cultural heritage. The Foundation is particularly interested in tracing Zeri's correspondence with scholars, collectors,
antique dealers, and institutions.
The donated materials will be archived and catalogued according to international regulations. In protecting the privacy of the donors, they will only be partially accessible for consultation via the online catalogue.