Paolo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto

Paolo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto (17 July 1910 – 11 November 1993) was an Italian art historian and Director General of the Vatican Museums from 1961 to 1975. He was also a councillor and Vice Mayor of the City of Rome.

Biography

Paolo Dalla Torre was born in Padua, the son of Giuseppe Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto (1885–1967) and Maria Hedwig Lochenies de Fontenois (1880–1960). His father was a journalist and director of L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican's daily newspaper, from 1920 to 1960. He married Antonietta Pulvirenti De Grazia (1917–2004); their sons Giuseppe and Giacomo were born of the marriage.

Paolo Dalla Torre studied at Sapienza University of Rome and was a doctor of art history. His dissertation was banned in 1936 immediately after publication; a university career was not made possible for Della Torre because he opposed fascism.

From 1937 he held various positions in the Vatican, including scientific secretary of the Lateran Museum in 1938. From 1947 to 1961, he held high positions in the city of Rome, most recently as a city councillor, deputy mayor and budget auditor. He also directed the municipal magazine Capitolium.

He was Director General of Monuments, Museums and Pontifical Galleries from 1960 to 1970 and Director General of the Vatican Museums from 1961 to 1975.

Works

• L'opera riformatrice ed amministrativa di Pio IX fra il 1850 e il 1870 (1945)
• L'anno di Mentana: Contributo ad una storia dello Stato Pontificio nel 1867 (1968)
• Pio IX e Vittorio Emanuele II dal loro carteggio privato negli anni del dilaceramento, 1865-1878 (1972; editor)
• Gli eventi militari del 1860 dai telegrammi del Ministero delle armi pontificio (1976)

References

• "Paolo Dalla Torre tra impegno culturale, storico e amministrativo," Res publica, Vol. XI (2015)