«Fra gli amici si può parlare con libertà»
Lettere scelte di Leopoldo de’ Medici a Ottavio Falconieri (1662-75)
open access | peer reviewed
- Stefano Dall’Aglio - Ca' Foscari University of Venice - email
Abstract
Leopoldo de’ Medici, prince and cardinal, was one of the most distinguished collectors of the early modern period. Ottavio Falconieri, a Roman scholar, acted as his agent in Rome and was one of his most trusted and learned correspondents. Over the course of thirteen years (1662-75), the two men maintained a regular exchange of letters, and those sent by Leopoldo to Falconieri have been completely unknown until very recently and are still in private hands. In them, they talk about collecting and the acquisition of ancient works of art made by Falconieri on behalf of the Medici. Much discussion also revolves around the many subjects that interested both men, such as literature, art, and science, with a particular focus on astronomical observations, book circulation, and archaeological excavations. Furthermore, the newly discovered correspondence sheds light on the social and intellectual networks in which Leopoldo and Falconieri operated – for Leopoldo the Medici court and the Accademia del Cimento, for Falconieri the papal court and Baroque Rome – which included many prominent figures of the period, such as Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Christina queen of Sweden.
Keywords Ottavio Falconieri • Seventeenth century • Rome • Leopoldo de’ Medici • Florence • Letters
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/979-12-5742-057-4 | e-ISBN 979-12-5742-057-4 | ISBN (PRINT) 979-12-5742-058-1 | Published Sept. 22, 2026 | Accepted March 30, 2026 | Submitted July 28, 2025 | Language it
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