Francesco Maria Berio, marchese di Salza (1765-1820)

Francesco Berio was born in 1765 in Naples. He was the son of Domenico Berio, marchese di Salza, who was renowned in Naples as a man of culture. Francesco received an excellent education and acquired a love of literature, and of the arts more generally.

In 1791, he inherited the title of marchese, along with the splendid “palace” in the via Roma at Naples and the famous library and art collection which his father had collected. Francesco added to the library, although his acquisitions for the art collection were of greater significance. In the early 1800s, his literary salons were celebrated, attracting many notable figures including Gabriele Rossetti and Gioacchino Rossino. Berio wrote libretti for several Rossini operas including Otello and Ricciardo and Zoraide.

Berio died at Naples in December 1820. His estate was inherited by his four daughters, and the greater part of the library was sold to William Ward, 3rd Viscount Dudley and Ward, and eventually shipped to England. A manuscript inventory of the library was prepared in 1822, and a catalogue raisonné in 1826.