Sir Anthony Panizzi

Sir Anthony Panizzi , 1797-1879, British librarian, b. Italy. A political exile, Panizzi settled in England in 1823 and was naturalized in 1832. He was associated with the British Museum library as assistant librarian (1831-37), keeper of printed books (1837-56), and chief librarian (1856-67). His 91 rules (1839) became the basis of the museum's catalog. Panizzi designed the circular reading room and the galleries of the library and enforced the act requiring deposition at the museum of copies of books copyrighted in Great Britain. He was influential in obtaining for the museum considerable Parliamentary support as well as the bequest of the Grenville library in 1846. His celebrated edition of Boiardo's Orlando Innamorato and Ariosto's Orlando Furioso (9 vol.) was published from 1830 to 1834. Panizzi was knighted in 1869.

Bibliography: See biographies by E. Miller (1967) and L. A. Fagan (2d ed. 1970).

Panizzi, Antonio (later Sir Anthony) (1797–1879), born in Italy, fled to England as a political exile in 1823. He became in 1856 principal librarian at the British Museum and was responsible for the preparation of a new catalogue and for the plans of the celebrated circular domed Reading Room which he opened personally in 1857.