معرفی
Francesca Manzari is a Full Professor in the Department of Modern Literature and Culture at Sapienza University of Rome, specializing in medieval manuscript illumination with particular expertise in Italian illuminated manuscripts from the 13th to 15th centuries. She teaches multiple graduate courses including History of Miniatures for the Master's Degree in Archives and Library Science, History of Medieval Miniatures for the Master of Science in Art History, and specialized instruction in the School of Archival and Library Heritage, with classes scheduled to begin in October 2025.
Professor Manzari's research centers on the intricate relationship between text and image in medieval devotional contexts, with special attention to Books of Hours, liturgical manuscripts, and alternative forms of devotional instruments. Her work examines the circulation of artists between different Italian regions during periods of political upheaval like the Western Schism, the patronage networks that shaped manuscript production, and the technical aspects of book illumination. She has made significant contributions to understanding the revival of classical models in Roman miniatures and the competition between different types of devotional books in late medieval Italy.
Analysis of Professor Manzari's recent publications reveals a growing focus on manuscript fragments and their recontextualization within major collections, particularly her extensive work on the Naitō Collection at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo. Her research increasingly incorporates scientific analysis of manuscripts, as seen in her 2019 study of the Rosselli Missal, while also examining the post-medieval history of manuscript collections and the art market from the 18th to 20th centuries.
Her scholarly activities include leading major research projects:
- Devout Reading. Texts and Images for Devotion in the Late Middle Ages
- IMAGES AND DEVOTION. FROM BOOKS OF HOURS TO EMBLEM BOOKS IN ITALY AND THE LOW COUNTRIES (15th-17th centuries)
Professor Manzari actively supervises graduate students in archival science and art history programs, integrating her research with teaching through study visits to Rome's exceptional manuscript collections. Her work connects closely with the city's rich cultural heritage, utilizing resources from institutions like the Vatican Apostolic Library to advance understanding of medieval book production and its social context.
