(ANSA) - Rome, November 9 - Photographer Roberto Morrione's portraits of women at a new show in Rome are not just faces but voices who tell visitors what they think about him and themselves.

''I wanted to give the sitters an opportunity to become active rather than passive subjects," said Morrione who asked each to contribute a written piece to accompany her portrait.

"There were no restrictions, they were free to say whatever crossed their minds," said the photographer who is showing their 'captions' beneath their photos.

A group of actresses - including Daniela Stanga, one of the sitters - were so taken by Morrione's novel idea that they volunteered to record a CD of the writings. They are currently preparing a theatre performance of the women's 'voices' with a photo slide show. The exhibit at the Spaziottagoni gallery in Rome's historic Trastevere district features a collection of 100 works spanning from 1964 to 2009 and offers a bird's-eye-view of how Morrione's art has evolved during the period.

"Initially, I mainly relied on black background, then switched to a lot of light...later I began focusing on hands and arms so much so that they've taken on a major importance in my shots. I've also used veils and fabrics," said Morrione, a former architect who is best known for his studies of the female nude.

The exhibit also gives viewers an indication of how women too have changed since 1964, when the photographer shot one of his first portraits.

Francesca Romana wears a headband and pearls in a photo taken in September 1964 and muses about her upcoming wedding and her shyness.

In August 1969, Carla sports a miniskirt and flower-child blouse but today rails at Morrione's request to write a reaction.

"What! Forty years have gone by, it happened so long ago, everything was about to happen, women were being catapulted into another century....do you have any idea what it means to ask a wrinkled and sagging 70-year-old to look back," she tells Morrione and visitors.

Maria, tousled hair and unkempt eyebrows in November 1988, wails: "Portrait. If I could 'unportrait' myself I would".

Elena recalls that though her second portrait was taken in 2008, more than 40 years after her first, any apprehension about her age vanishes the minutes she stepped into the photographer's studio because he immediately recreates "that magic alchemy". Another wonders if the photographer is not a sort of Prince Charming who lingers over every face "hoping to uncover an unlikely sleeping beauty".

Like a faithful librarian of sorts, Morrione has catalogued scores of portraits in an unending quest to unravel the meaning of femininity, she says in her caption. Others teasingly accuse the photographer of being "an honest thief" who "wants not just a face but a soul as well" while treating his sitters like "guinea pigs".

"It took me nearly two years to put the show together because I'd lost touch with some of the women. Others needed to be coaxed to contribute. It wasn't easy but I got a lot of satisfaction, and it's been great fun," said Morrione.

The photographer admitted he is intrigued by the allure of femininity but ruled out interest in physical perfection.

His collection includes women from all walks of life - clerks, architects, teachers, shopgirls, journalists, psychologists, doctors - and though not all are beauties they are radiantly alive.

Morrione's show, Voices, Women's Images and Words 1964-2009 runs at the Galleria Spaziottagoni, Via Goffredo Mameli 9, till November 28.

More information is available at his website www.gabrielemorrione.it . photo: Fernanda, July 1971.

"Your view, my image. Seeing myself and only then, believing it was me".