Francesco Santi

(1914-1993)

He graduated in Law in Perugia in 1938, then he got called to arms and he came back to Italy only after the armistice on 8th September 1943.

He took part to anti-fascist clandestine activity and he was part of the Comitato di Liberazione. After the democratic regime establishment, he took important responsibilities for city institutions.

He was firstly vice-commissioner and then vice president of Accademia di Belle Arti, thanks to the art history courses he attended in Rome. In 1945 he joined as adventitious the Soprintendenza of Perugia and from that moment on he dedicated his life to the artworks protection and development.

His worries about local museums were continuous and he did everything he could to make the various collection publicly available. In 1966 he was mentioned director at Umbrian Galleria Nazionale and thanks to his efforts the expositive spaces have been increased with all the top floor of Palazzo dei Priori.

In 1970 he married Barbara Marini Clarelli, creating a deep and perfect understanding with her. He was mentioned Superintendent in 1973 and in 1975 he became director of the Soprintendenza: under this role, he did several restorations of historic building in the whole area.

In 1979 he withdrew from public life and kept studying and writing. Among his several texts some are strictly connected with his job, published most of all on “Bollettino dell’Arte” and the Umbrian museums catalogues, like the Umbrian Galleria Nazionale one.

The Foundation historical archive conserves 12 folders about the Francesco Santi’s roles as art history, official and superintendent (now under digitalization thanks to the cooperation with Umbrian Galleria Nazionale) and the sheets about Santi’s family (Francesco Santi’s Inventory, available in archive).