 |
The Bibliotheca Hertziana in Rome is part of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft’s (MPG) humanities and social sciences section and was opened in 1913 under the auspices of the Kaiser Wilhelm Gesellschaft, which was founded only two years earlier in 1911. The Bibliotheca Hertziana is thus not only one of the oldest institutes of the Max-Planck- Gesellschaft, the successor of the Kaiser Wilhelm Gesellschaft, but also the first to be dedicated to the humanities. Located in the historical center of Rome - in the immediate vicinity of the famous Spanish Steps - the Bibliotheca Hertziana owes its existence to the generosity of Henriette Hertz (1846-1913). She donated the Palazzo Zuccari, complete with a well-stocked specialist library and an extensive photographic collection, to be used as the seat of the research institute. Today, the Bibliotheca Hertziana is led by three directors, whose focus lies on painting, architecture, and Medieval Art. One of the key concerns of the institute is the promotion and support of young scientists; the Bibliotheca Hertziana therefore offers archival and study courses/workshops to young researcher so they can acquire the necessary skills of art historical research. The institute’s outstanding library, its comprehensive photographic collections, and its excellent, research-generated databases as well as its proximity to important objects, monuments, archives, museums, conservation authorities, universities, and other international institutions in Rome make the Bibliotheca Hertziana one of the world’s most renowned research institutes for Italian art history in general and the history of Roman art in particular.
|