curatore

Curatore (feminine curatrice) is an Italian term used to describe a person who takes charge of organizing, managing, or presenting something with care. The word derives from curare, meaning to take care or oversee. Its use spans cultural, archivistic, and legal contexts.

In cultural institutions such as museums, galleries, and exhibition spaces, the curatore is the professional responsible for a collection or show. Duties typically include researching and selecting objects, coordinating loans, cataloging holdings, overseeing conservation and installation, and developing interpretive materials and public programs. The curatore often writes catalog essays and participates in acquisitions and policy decisions related to the collection.

In libraries and archives, curatori may manage special collections or exhibits, ensuring proper handling, description, preservation, and accessibility for researchers and the public. They collaborate with conservators, catalogers, and researchers to improve access to materials while maintaining their integrity.

In the legal field, curatore denotes a person appointed by a court to manage the affairs or assets of someone who cannot act on their own behalf. This can include curatori of minors, or of individuals declared legally incapable, and, in insolvency law, the curatore fallimentare who acts as a bankruptcy trustee, supervising the debtor’s assets and the satisfaction of creditors under judicial oversight.

The exact duties and authority of a curatore vary by country and legal context, but the core idea is that of someone assigned to care for, manage, or represent a scope of assets or interests.