Zeri, Federico

1921 – He was born in Rome in Via XXIV Maggio, a step away from the Quirinal and the statues of the Dioscuri.

1940 – He followed the courses of Pietro Toesca at the University of Rome.

1945 – He graduated under him.

1947 – His first trips to Paris and London where he had a chance to have contact with leading figures in international connoisseurship like Philip Pouncey, Denis Mahon, John Pope-Hennessy and Frederick Antal.

1948 – He was appointed director of the Galleria Spada in Rome.

1950 – He resigned from the position. 1952 – He published a fundamental catalogue of the collection.

1957 – He wrote a book named “Pittura e Controriforma” which is an evident for his choice of using vague point of views from which to ask innovative questions.

1972 – He commissioned to catalogue the Italian paintings in US state-owned collections.

1976 – He publishes the catalogues of the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York until the late 80’s.

1998 – He was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Bologna, a year after becoming a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, where he took the place of Richard Nixon and died in Mentana on 5th day of October that year.