William L. MacDonald was Professor of the History of Art at Smith College where he taught the architectural history of Classical Rome from 1965 until his retirement. He is the author of The Architecture of the Roman Empire (in two volumes), The Pantheon: Design, Meaning, and Progeny, and, with John Pinto, Hadrian’s Villa and its Legacy, as well as other publications.
The photographs were taken by Professor MacDonald over a period of more than 40 years. The collection includes sites that now are largely inaccessible (Roman Libya and Syria) and provides unique views of monuments that are now permanently changed. Coverage includes ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman architecture in about 30 countries, Byzantine and Baroque architecture, and the city of Rome, which is documented in depth.