The Huntington Acquires the Archive of Gusmano Cesaretti

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens has acquired the archive of Italian-born artist Gusmano Cesaretti, a self-taught photographer renowned for capturing significant portraits of Southern California’s Mexican American community, incisive views of Los Angeles urban space, and set images for multiple Hollywood films. Spanning six decades, the Cesaretti collection comprises approximately 238 boxes of photographic prints, negatives, contact sheets, artist books, and mixed media works, along with documents, recordings, and personal ephemera. This major acquisition significantly enriches the Huntington Library’s holdings of more than 800,000 historical and contemporary photographs.

“As an Italian immigrant invited into a wide range of Los Angeles communities, Cesaretti reflected everyone from graffiti artists to police officers and film actors,” said Sandra Brooke Gordon, Avery Director of the Library at The Huntington. “His archive is an invaluable record of the city. Philip D. Nathanson made this acquisition possible, and we are grateful for his generosity.”

A Life Behind the Lens

Born in Lucca, Italy, in 1944, Cesaretti immigrated to the United States at the age of 19 with a one-way ticket, spending four years in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles in 1967. He immersed himself in the city’s art and street culture, developing a distinct photographic style.

Between 1971 and 1973, he worked as a staff photographer at The Huntington, refining his skills while capturing artworks and botanical scenes on film. In his free time, he roamed East Los Angeles, documenting graffiti artists, lowrider clubs, and intimate community moments, earning trust by sharing prints with his subjects.

In 1977, he founded Cityscape Foto Gallery in Pasadena, exhibiting works by local and international photographers such as Patrick Nagatani, Antonin Kratochvil, and Loretta Ayeroff.

“This acquisition marks a significant homecoming for an artist who profoundly shaped the visual narrative of Los Angeles through his community ties and artistic dedication,” said Linde B. Lehtinen, the Philip D. Nathanson Senior Curator of Photography at The Huntington. “Cesaretti’s bold photographic work and multifaceted archive provide essential perspectives on Southern California’s history that have never been fully assembled in one place. We are excited to preserve and share his legacy with future generations.”

Capturing Los Angeles’ Unseen Narratives

Cesaretti’s archive contains several photographic series that chronicle Los Angeles, including:

• Street Writers (1970–1975): Groundbreaking documentation of graffiti in locations such as Boyle Heights and Lincoln Heights in East Los Angeles. Cesaretti, guided by local artist Chaz Bojórquez, tracked and photographed the intricate scripts and tags that were published in the now iconic book (1975).