Giulio Ferrario

Giulio Ferrario (1767-1847) of Milan was an intellectual, publisher, printer, and librarian. He was the director of the Braidense National Library in Milan and the visionary behind the Società Tipografica de’ Classici Italiani. His monumental work Il costume antico e moderno constituted a history of the governments, militias, religions, and customs of all peoples in the ancient and modern world. It contained over 1,500 hand-colored plates depicting clothing through the ages and countless architectural depictions.

The compendium showcased some of the first views of iconic locations and events in the newly independent America.