Giulio Ferrario

Giulio Ferrario (1767–1847) was an Italian scholar, publisher, and librarian best known for his monumental illustrated work Il Costume Antico e Moderno, published in Milan between 1817 and 1834. A comprehensive survey of the customs, dress, religion, and culture of peoples around the world, the series featured hundreds of hand-colored engravings and remains a major source for early 19th-century ethnographic and historical imagery.

Ferrario served as director of the Biblioteca Braidense in Milan, where he oversaw one of Italy’s foremost collections of books and manuscripts. His broad intellectual interests extended across art, literature, and antiquities, and his publications reflect the Enlightenment’s pursuit of global knowledge through art and print.