Department
School
Expertise
Dr. Massimo Ceresa, a specialist in the history of the book, the history of libraries, and print history is currently working on two projects, both centered on manuscripts from the Vatican Library, where he spent most of his professional life. The first project, nearing completion, is an edition and commentary on the very first inventory of the collection of printed books in the Vatican Library (1608-1610). The second project is a transcription of the diary of a Master of the Pontifical Ceremonies, Biagio Baroni Martinelli, better known as “Biagio da Cesena” (in office: 1518-1541). The diary is of great interest to those who study the history of church as Biagio writes extensively about ceremonies, ecclesiastical vestments, liturgy, conclaves, churches, religious architecture, bishops and dioceses, international politics, diplomacy, papal journeys and all matters of everyday life in the pontifical court of the first half of the sixteenth century.
Dr. Ceresa has published the annals of the seventeenth-century Roman century printing shop of Guglielmo Facciotti and family and has recently edited the 2nd volume of the History of the Vatican Library. He was the winner of the Borghese Prize in 2015.
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Selected Publications
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La Biblioteca Vaticana tra riforma cattolica
Massimo Ceresa, ed., La Biblioteca Vaticana tra riforma cattolica, crescita delle collezioni e nuovo edificio (1535-1590) (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 2012)
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Una stamperia nella Roma del primo Seicento
Massimo Ceresa, Una stamperia nella Roma del primo Seicento. Annali tipografici di Guglielmo Facciotti ed eredi (1592-1640) (Bulzoni Editore, 2000)
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La Sardegna nei manoscritti della Biblioteca Vaticana
Massimo Ceresa, La Sardegna nei manoscritti della Biblioteca Vaticana (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1990)
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