Armeniaca

International Journal of Armenian Studies

A Forgotten Voice: Giuseppe Cappelletti and L’Armenia

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Abstract

In 1841, Giuseppe Cappelletti (1802‑1876) published in Florence a three‑volume work titled L’Armenia, aiming to offer a comprehensive description of the country’s history, geography, and culture grounded in Armenian historical sources. Despite being the first major Italian‑language study of Armenia – and among the earliest of its kind in Western Europe – the work has been largely overlooked in subsequent scholarship. This article reassesses Cappelletti’s contribution, situating his oeuvre within its broader socio‑political and intellectual context, restoring a long‑forgotten voice into the history of Italophone Armenian studies.


Open access | Peer reviewed

Submitted: Nov. 18, 2024 | Accepted: Aug. 28, 2025 | Published Dec. 12, 2025 | Language: en

Keywords VeniceArmenian studiesGiuseppe CappellettiMekhitarist CongregationSan Lazzaro degli ArmeniL’ArmeniaHouse of Savoy