Barbara Jatta was born in Rome October 6, 1962. Graduated in Humanities with a thesis in History of drawings, engraving and graphics at Sapienza University of Rome, where she also had the specialization in History of art in 1991. She has taken part to several traineership abroad (United Kingdom, Portuga and United States of America).She worked at National Graphic Institute in the first place as graphic material Conservator and then to the cataloguing of the Institute funds of drawings, egravings and lithographs. Since 1994 she is responsible of History of tecnology and graphic arts and techniques at Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples.
Since 1996 is Head of Cabinet at Vatican Library and Member of the Exposition Commission, Admissions Commission, Purchase Commission and Catalog Commission.
On 8 September, 2010 she has been appointed as Curator of Prints at the Vatican Library by Father Benedict XVI and She is member of Romanist’s Group.
She is head of Vatican Museums since 2017. She collaborated and organized several exibithions, including:Vedute romane di Lievin Cruyl, in 1988;
Francesco Bartolozzi: incisore delle Grazie, in 1996;
Piranesi e l'Aventino, in 1998;
Angelika Kauffmann e Roma, in 1998;
Roma-veduta. Disegni e stampe panoramiche della città dal XV al XIX secolo, in 2000;
Forma urbis Romae, in 2000;
Roma Veduta: disegni e stampe panoramiche della città dal XV al XIX secolo, in 2000;
Incisioni del '700 in Italia, in 2002;
Rome eternelle: dessins et gravures panoramiques du XV au XIX siècle, in 2003;
Speculum Dianae Magnificentiae, in 2006; 1929 - 2009: Ottanta anni dello Stato della Città del Vaticanoin 2009;
XXII International Advisory of Keepers of Graphic Collections, in 2010;
Conoscere la Biblioteca Vaticana. Una storia aperta al futuro, in 2010;
Giovanni Paolo II. Un omaggio di Benedetto XVI in occasione della beatificazione, in 2011;
Ottanta anni della Radio Vaticana.
In June 2018 she opened at Mexico City the exibition: from Saint Peter to Francisco.