Corrado Ricci

Corrado Ricci (18 April 1858- 5 June 1934) was an Italian archeologist and art historian.

During 1893-1894 Ricci served as director of the Pinacoteca of Parma, and from 1894 to 1898 he had that role at the Galleria Estense in Modena.

In 1910, he helped found the National Institute of Archaeology and Art History of Rome, and served as its chairman.

Ricci joined the Fascist party and was made senator in 1923, apparently until his death.

Under the rule of Mussolini, who exalted the ties of the Italian state to Ancient Rome, Ricci was able to pursue major archeologic and restoration projects, including excavations of the Imperial Fora and the construction of Via dell’Impero (today Via dei Fori Imperiali), the recovery of the Roman ships of Lake Nemi, and the restoration of Palazzo Venezia, which was made the seat of the Istituto di Archeologia e Storia dell’Arte in 1922.