VRA 2023 Archives Tools and Techniques session. Presenters: Maureen Burns and Lavinia Ciuffa The Ernest Nash collection documents ancient Roman architecture in pre- and post-World War II Italy. What made Nash's work significant, beyond capturing the present state of the ancient Roman monuments at a volatile historical moment, was the primacy of the topographical photography and the systematic order he brought to this subject. The American Academy's Photographic Archive contributed Nash's images to an open access, interactive website called the "Urban Legacy of Ancient Rome." It reveals the city in stunning detail and uses geo-referencing to provide the viewer with a better understanding of the overall contextual and spatial logic. These Nash images and metadata are also IIIF compatible. As the Academy continues to digitize and describe the full collection of about 30,000 images, thanks to the generous support of the Kress Foundation, a new partnership has developed with Archivision and vrcHost. Current high quality digital photographs of the same ancient Roman monuments are being added to compare with the historical images documenting architectural changes--whether conserved, restored, altered, reconstructed, re-sited or destroyed. This presentation will provide a progress report about what it takes to move new digital photography into IIIF and the various tools available for close examination and presentation. Finding ways to provide ready access and juxtapose historic and contemporary photography online, builds upon the legacy of Nash's quality curation and scholarship to create 21st century, accessible, online educational resources of great interest and utility to scholars, students, and a wide audience of ancient Roman enthusiasts.

1. Yegül Beato
Van Deman
Parker
Library Collection
Gatteschi
AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME - PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE
Raddato
Session: Archives Tools & Techniques
Interactive Topography with IIIF:
Open Access to Photographs from the Ernest Nash Fototeca
Unione Collection
Lavinia Ciuffa, Curator, Photographic Archive, American Academy in Rome - l.ciuffa@aarome.org
Maureen Burns, Director, IMAGinED Consulting - moaburns@gmail.com
VRA
September 26, 2023, San Antonio, TX
Aronson
Askew

2. • 1898 – Potsdam, Germany: Birth of Ernst Nathan Nash
• 1936 – Nash emigrates to Italy, Rome
• 1939 – Nash emigrates in the US
• 1952 – Nash moves back to Italy
• 1956 – Donation of 3,135 Negatives to the Fototeca Unione
• 1956 to 1974 – Nash was Director of the Fototeca Unione at the AAR
• 1970s-1980s – The Collection grows to over 30,000 Photographs:
From Rome to the Roman World
●
Open Access to Photographs from the Ernest Nash Fototeca Unione Collection
April, 1939 (Photo E. Nash))
Rome, Pons Aelius, 1936
(Neg.1099)P
Musei Capitolini, ​1957
Morocco, Volubilis, 1981
France, Nimes, 1972
Italy, Capri, 1960
https://online.vraweb.org/index.php/vrab/article/view/17

3. Rome, Aurelian Walls, Porta Maggiore,
1953
Rome, Atrium Vestae, 1959
Cerveteri, “Banditaccia” Necropolis, 1967
Open Access to Photographs from the Ernest Nash Fototeca Unione Collection
AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME - PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE
Rome, Aqueducts, 1932
Rome, Temple of Antoninus and Faustina,
1936
Rome, Flavian Amphitheatre, 1936

4. 2018 - https://exhibits.stanford.edu/nash
1962- Publication of the
“Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome”
1974- Initial 14,000 Images are reproduced in Microfiches
(Univ. of Chicago Press)
2000 - Berlin: Exhibition and publication of volume
“Ernest Nash / Ernst Nathan: Potsdam, Rom, New York Rom”

5. Open Access to Photographs from the Ernest Nash Fototeca Unione
Collection
https://library.aarome.org/

6. Open Access to Photographs from the Ernest Nash Fototeca Unione Collection
IIII
EMME.BI.Soft Srl - http://www.emmebisoft.it/en/is
https://dhc.aarome.org/photographic-archive-collection

7. Open Access to Photographs from the Ernest Nash Fototeca Unione Collection
IIIIIIF
IIII
EMME.BI.Soft Srl - (http://www.emmebisoft.it/en/is)
[Thermae Traiani (Roma, Italia), interno dell'esedra nord-est del recinto] |
American Academy in Rome (aarome.org)

8. Open Access to Photographs from the Ernest Nash Fototeca Unione
Collection
IIIIIIF
IIII
THANK YOU!
Lavinia Ciuffa
American Academy in Rome - Photographic Archive
l.ciuffa@aarome.org
https://aarome.digitalexhibitions.it/s/nash/page/welcome

9. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT IRVINE – VISUAL RESOURCES COLLECTION
On the Utility of Nash’s Pictorial Dictionary in Photo Archives

11. Archivision Research Library
133,000 Images from Ancient to Contemporary Times

12. Archivision
https://archivision.com/
• Scott Gilchrist, Trained
Architect & Professional
Photographer, Could Shoot
New, Comparable Images to
Those of Nash
vrcHost
https://www.vrchost.com/
• Andreas Knab, Technologist,
Could Make the Images IIIF
Compliant & Host the New
Photographs on his Servers

13. Rome Revisited
Photo Campaigns
● Scott - Roman
Forum 2019
● Maureen - Rome
Various 2019
● Maureen - Rome
Esquiline Hill Area
2022
Results
● 44 Good Matches

14. 2019 Example - Lacus Iuternae - Scott
Rome Revisited

15. 2022 Example - Ara Pacis Building - Maureen
Rome Revisited

16. Metadata in Excel Spreadsheet
Mapped to Dublin Core for MDID

17. New Nash-Like Images in MDIDI
https://demo.vrchost.com/explore/explore/?c=allcollections:36

18. Exhibit https://exhibit.so/
A IIIF Storytelling Tool

19. Conclusion
• Nash’s work was
considered “a model
of a modern
instrument of
scholarly research”
• Plan to continue to
expand upon Nash’s
rich legacy
• Thank you for this
opportunity to
connect with you