Customer Reviews

Rome Then and Now

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I recently had the pleasure of obtaining a copy of this newly released photographic study of Rome and I have to say it fulfilled all my hopes in it's exploration of one of my favourite cities in the world. "Rome Then And Now", is not just a book filled with photos of favourite monuments or streetscapes, it goes much further and in its unique format explores the ever changing look of one of Europe's oldest cities. Frederica D'Orazio has chosen the most interesting idea of devoting two photos to the one chosen area or building and provided shots often taken over a hundred years apart to show the changes that have occured to the subject being examined. The left hand side photos generally come from the 1800's in black and white or sepia, while those on the right hand page are recent shots in glorious colour.

Of course Rome being the "eternal city", there is alot of history to capture in this type of photographic journey. The topics chosen are those that obviously have the two contrasting photos available but they in themselves are also very well chosen to display the rich and varied heritage that makes up a cosmopolitan city like Rome. Featured prominently are such well known sites as St. Peters, The Colosseum, The River Tiber, The Pantheon, The Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain and The Spanish Steps. The real fascination however is in the lesser known streetscapes where the real development and alterations to the City can be seen. Of particular interst are the contrasting shots of such places as the Via Condotti, Piazza Barberini, Trajan's Market, Circus Maximus and the Jewish Ghetto. So fascinating are the contrasting photos that you will find yourself sitting for hours comparing every piece of masonary, changed window frame, or different view achieved from a demolition carried out between the time of the two photos.

Obviously in a book devoted to photographic views the quality of the pictures is of paramount importance and "Rome Then And Now", has gathered together some of the best cityscape photos one could expect. The older left hand side photos obviously drawn from numerous sources are wonderfully clear and sharp considering their age and their often deep sepia tones contrast vividly with the superb and very sharp modern photos of each site on the right hand side. These modern shots really succeed in capturing the charm of Rome as a colourful, historic, but also very active and modern city filled with a vibrant population. The photography is clear and makes great use of light and shadow to bring out the best in each site being examined.

"Rome Then And Now", is a photographic gem and is ideally suited to the armchair traveller or those like myself who want to revisit many of the much loved places in Rome that they might have seen first hand. The opening historical run down of Rome's history from a humble settlement on the Tiber to the great city of both the Roman Empire and now as capital of modern Italy is also informative and well worth spending time reading. I highly recommend "Rome Then And Now", devoted to the ever changing environment of this special city. Rome is a city of vivid contrasts and unique qualities and all of them are present in this superb photographic study. Enjoy

When you visit Rome, the buildings lend the impression that in many respects the city has not changed to any large degree in centuries. This book makes clear that while Rome may be "eternal" the architecture of the city is not!

This book has a simple lay out. On the left hand side of the book are full page 19th and early 20th century images of Rome (the latest being in the 1940s) - on the right hand side is a modern image of the same location. The older images vary in quality, but all are clear, my only complaint with the newer images is that they aren't always taken from the same angle as the older one for a true comparison.

If you have ever travelled to Rome this book is fascinating to browse through. Its amazing how much some of the sights of the city have changed in only 150 years. Mussolini made a lot more changes to the city than I realised before I read the descriptions next to the images in this book by demolishing buildings all over the place to make roads and restore some of the ruins.

It's difficult to stand in front of an ancient building like the Pantheon or the Coliseum without wondering what these structures and the surrounding areas must have been like in times gone by. Rome: Then and Now helps answer some of the questions that pop into the Roman daydreamer's mind, through the contrast of old and new photographs and well-researched supporting texts.

Obviously, by using only photographs, passionate Roman author and guide Federica D'Orazio can't possibly show us Rome at its peak. But she can show us how much the city has changed over the last century and a half -- complete with goats resting near Trajan's Column, country folk washing their clothes in the Fountain of the Tritons, and a food market filling Circus Maximus -- all of which gives us plenty more ammunition for absent mindedly speculating about the still more ancient past.

The idea for this book is so simple and elegant that it's a wonder nobody thought of it before: the left-hand pages feature grainy sepia prints of important Roman sites; the right side more modern photos of the same areas. And La Dttsa. D'Orazio doesn't just focus on the sites everyone has heard of, but she takes us down the winding alleyways of the Eternal City to show us some sites that many visitors fail to see (there are six pairs of photos from my neighborhood, in fact, a couple of which were very surprising to me even though I've lived there for several years and consider myself a history buff). There are 68 pairs of photos in all, the collection of which must have required an extraordinary amount of research.

I have some relatively minor complaints, though.

Most importantly, I think the book would have been much stronger if the modern photographs had been taken from the exact same angle as their antique counterparts. Sometimes they are, but most of the newer shots are instead taken from the same general area photographers must have used for the older photos, and in a couple of examples they are even taken from a different side all together. Shooting from the exact angle every time would have made the fascinating comparisons this book prompts easier and better.

Also, the texts are written in a way that in some cases reveals the sort of halting style of translated text. I have worked as a translator myself, and I know the work isn't easy -- perhaps my background means my eyes are more sensitive to these shortcomings (they are minor things, such as writing "Column of Trajan" rather than "Trajan's Column"). The problem is nothing that prevents the enjoyment of the book, but the test doesn't quite flow like something written by a good native language writer (though it is better than many other books produced under similar circumstances).

Lastly, I would have liked to have had a table of contents listing the photographs in order, and perhaps a text at the beginning describing how the project came about and the process of tracking down some of these old gems of photographs. But I suppose if my complaint is that I wish I knew more about the book, then in the grand scheme of things it is sort of a compliment as well.

Of course, I already knew that because I used her as a tour guide the last time I was in Rome! She's not just a tour guide, though, she's a native of her beloved Rome and has a master's degree in art restoration. Because of that combination of skills, the book is full of not only her amazing breadth of historical, architectural, and art knowledge, but it also has those wonderfully interesting little tidbits that only a good tour guide knows! So, yes, get the book for the cool, old black & white and sepia photographs and the new color ones, but also get it for the interesting information that will make you feel like you've been taken around Rome by one of its best tour guides. (And then when you're ready to actually go to Rome, look up her website and give her a call!) I'm thrilled to have this book...it will be a constant reminder of those wonderful days I spent in Rome.

As a lover and long-time inhabitant of Rome, I grabbed at this book when I found it on the remainder table of a major bookstore. The "then" part of the book--antique photographs, many of which date to the 19th century--constitutes a marvelous record of Rome's not-too-distant past. The "now' part of the book, however, leaves much to be desired. First, many of the color-photos are washed-out, apparently over-exposed. Buildings are white, skies are even whiter, and much detail of Rome's magnificent architecture has been lost. Next, many of the modern photos have been taken with a wider angle of lens, and from a different perspective than the original photos. In some cases, as when the ground has been excavated some twenty feet (e.g., the Campo Vaccino--now the Forum), accuracy of angle may not be possible; but in others (such as Piazza Colonna with the Antonine column) the same relative perspective is achievable. An egregious example may be found in the pair of photos, one of Piazza Cesarini, taken from one corner [The Via delle Botteghe Oscure? Apparently, since the author mentions the nearby marble-burning kilns.], and the companion picture of the Largo Argentina, taken from the opposite direction, looking from the back of the Republican temples towards the Torre Argentina and the Botteghe Oscure. Since the perspectives are different, the effect of the contrast is diluted.

Much of the value of a book such as this is to be able to view the same area from exactly the same viewpoint so that the changes in architecture and landscape become immediately apparent. And it is the changes in architecture and topography that are important, not the fact that men are wearing bowlers and driving carriages in the old photos, and wearing baseball caps and driving SUVs in the new.

One of the pairs of pictures that does work is that of the little Bramante tempietto of St. John Boiled-In-Oil. In the 1911 photograph on the left, the entrance to the Porta Latina is filled with rubble; in the modern photo on the right--taken from approximately the same angle--the rubble has been cleared, and cars are driving through the travertine-revetted entrance. Here, the differences are unequivocal.

Much of the enchantment of Rome derives from its juxtaposition of warm honeyed light and deep velvet shadow--an aspect totally absent from this book. As I said in my title, I recommend the book--the old photographs are of especial interest to anyone who has ever lived in this charmed city. Because of the largely washed-out modern photographs, however, I have recommended it with reservations--reservations on your favorite airline, that is.

Fly away and recapture the magic of Rome for yourself.

I have been to Rome several times. This book only made me want to pack and leave immediately with it in hand. What a difference - in the mid-19th century there were goats, and sheep in front of the many historic sites. Rome changes and it does not. A paradox. No it is eternal.

I love historical photos of places I'm familiar with. This one is fantastic. The before and after really gives you perspective on not just the architecture but also the way of life. When you buy direct from Amazon you don't have to worry about the condition of your book when you get it. They are great with packaging.

Showing the views from a century ago next to a contemporary picture gives one a good idea of how much of Rome has changed, and how much has stayed the same. The text is full of fascinating tidbits of history and interesting characters. It will make you appreciate Rome even more than you already do!

I bought a few copies of this book for friends who live in Rome knowing that they will enjoy the photos of familiar places and how those places have evolved in the last 100 years. Of course, the evolution started 2000 years ago but there were no photos then.

This book juxtaposes photos of Rome from the past with modern photos. You can see the rise and fall of Rome through the changes in skyline and landscape. It is especially amazing to see not just what has changed, but the particulars that have stayed the same. This book is great for people who study Rome, those who have fond memories of visiting Rome, and even those who just enjoy history.