Umberto Romano was born February 5, 1906 in Bracigliano, Italy to Andrea and Raffaela (Certrate) Romano. The Ramano family emigrated to Springfield, Massachusetts in 1914 when Umberto Romano was nine years old. As a child Romano showed a great interest and skill in art, and in 1922 he was accepted into the National Academy of Design in New York City. While there he was awarded the Academy’s Pulitzer Traveling Scholarship to travel in Europe. After finishing his studies at the National Academy of Design, he studied at the American Academy in Rom from 1926 – 1927. When Romano was 22 years old, his first solo art show debuted at the Rehn Galleries in New York City. Romano practiced a variety of artforms, including drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and painting. Additionally, Romano illustrated two books during his lifetime, a 1946 translation of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, and Great Men published in 1979.  

Umberto Romano began teaching art in the mid-1930s. Romano served as the head of the Worcester Art Museum School from 1934 to 1940, and while also teaching art in Gloucester, Massachusetts at this time. In 1937 he purchased the Gallery-on-the-Moors in East Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he started the Romano School of Art. Umberto Romano and Clorinda Corcia were married June 12, 1941. Together they had one son, U. Roberto (Robin) Romano, born in 1958. Umberto Romano died of heart failure on September 27th, 1982. 

The Umberto Romano Papers contain correspondence, catalogs, brochures, photographs, awards, scrapbook pages, and newspaper articles relating to Romano’s work as an artist. Many of the brochures relate to the Romano School of Art, while others focus on various exhibitions that Romano participated in. In addition to materials related to Romano’s work, there are a few personal letters and photographs related to Umberto Romano’s wife, Clorinda (Corcia) Romano, and their son, U. Roberto (Robin) Romano.

The material in this collection is fully processed into two archival document boxes. There is one oversized folder in this collection containing a large award and photograph of Umberto Romano.

Box 1:

Folder 1: Holiday cards by Umberto Romano 1948 -- 1962

Folder 2: Romano School of Art

Folder 3: Art Reviews 1944 -- 1975

Folder 4: Cape Ann Museum Umberto Romano Exhibits 2007 -- 2024

Folder 5: Exhibits featuring Romano 1934 -- 1969

Folder 6: Umberto Romano WPA Murals 1937 -- 1970

Folder 7: Catalogs featuring Umberto Romano 1962 -- 1992

Folder 8: Correspondence 1942 -- 1982

Folder 9: Photographs

Folder 10: Articles on Umberto Romano 1948 – 1982

Folder 11: Scrapbook on Glass Box Series 1972

Folder 12: Mixed photos of artwork

Folder 13: Current Biography 1954

Folder 14: Yankee Publication 1952

Folder 15: Artists of the Rockport Art Association 1940

Folder 16: Divine Comedy Book Illustrations

Box 2:

Folder 1: National Academy of Design 1926 – 1980

Folder 2: Provincetown Review 1960

Folder 3: Provincetown Annual 1959

Folder 4: Mixed Research Materials 1986 -- 2018 - RESRICTED

Folder 5: Clorinda Romano Papers 1961 -- 2007 - RESRICTED

Folder 6: Cape Ann Museum Exhibit Planning 2005 -- 2007 - RESRICTED

Folder 7: Art Dealers Association of America 1996- RESRICTED

Folder 8: Print Research Foundation 2003 - RESRICTED

Folder 9: Southern Illinois University 1980 -- 1998 - RESRICTED

Folder 10: Amherst Meade Museum 1995 – 1996 - RESRICTED

Folder 11: Museum Contracts 2007 - RESRICTED

Folder 12: George Washington University 1993 -- 1995 - RESRICTED

Folder 13: Spencer Museum of Fine Art 1994 -- 1995 - RESRICTED

Folder 14: Archives of American Art – Smithsonian 1980 - RESRICTED

Folder 15: Illinois State Historical Library 1998 - RESRICTED

Folder 16: Cape Ann Historical Association 1996 -- 2002 - RESRICTED

Folder 17: Planning Materials for Great Men Book Illustrations 1979 - RESRICTED

Oversize Drawer:

Folder 1: Mixed Oversized Papers 1948 -- 1978