Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EuroCult (Cultural exchanges, network and community in early humanist Europe. The case of Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-09-01 al 2025-08-31
EuroCult intended to illuminate the figure of Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini (1405-1464), who at the end of his life became Pope Pius II. Initially a humble lay secretary to a cardinal during the Council of Basel (1431-1439), he became secretary to the Emperor, bishop, cardinal and pope (1458-1464). Before being elected pope Piccolomini travelled throughout Europe, visiting numerous important personalities of his age, including popes and emperors, and engaging in correspondence with major figures such as ambassadors from many European countries, cardinals, and bishops, as well as minor personalities such as notaries, teachers, and copyists. By researching the intellectual communities and networks with which he interacted and in which his works were read in the 15th and 16th centuries, this research also reevaluated three broader phenomena that have shaped our current understanding of the first half of 15th century: the wide spread of literary models and of religious and political ideas throughout northern Europe thanks to humanism; the importance of institutional contexts not usually associated with humanism (such as religious centres, universities, and courts connected with religious men as well as the laity); and the importance of socio-political and religious aims for contemporary humanist writers. From these innovative perspectives the project made an important contribution to understanding of the cultural foundations of modern Europe.
The project aimed 1) to define Piccolomini’s role as a literary model within European Renaissance humanism in his use of Latin and rhetoric, and to reconsider the network created by his letter exchanges, and his religious and political engagement; 2) to demonstrate that the spread of a cultural model in the first part of the 15th century was promoted by people who were also engaged in religious and political debate and activities; 3) and that his correspondence with chancellors, university professors, and prominent political and religious figures is an essential key for understanding the cultural exchanges taking place throughout Europe in the period.
All of these objectives have been met, with some of the most important results already published in articles or soon to be published in edited volumes.
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The project aimed 1) to define Piccolomini’s role as a literary model within European Renaissance humanism in his use of Latin and rhetoric, and to reconsider the network created by his letter exchanges, and his religious and political engagement; 2) to demonstrate that the spread of a cultural model in the first part of the 15th century was promoted by people who were also engaged in religious and political debate and activities; 3) and that his correspondence with chancellors, university professors, and prominent political and religious figures is an essential key for understanding the cultural exchanges taking place throughout Europe in the period.
All of these objectives have been met, with some of the most important results already published in articles or soon to be published in edited volumes.
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The work carried out during the three years involved both research activity leading to publications, and conferences and dissemination to a broader public.
To achieve its primary research objectives the project comprised two short objectives: a) to produce a complete census of Piccolomini’s letters; b) to have a detailed understanding of the content of his letters, paying special attention to cultural, religious, and political questions and his interactions with others.
Meeting the first objective involved cataloguing over 1,000 manuscripts from about 250 libraries around the world. Thanks to the catalogue of manuscripts, important information for the project was found, including Piccolomini’s works, dating and ownership thereof, miniatures, paratexts, and accompanying works by other authors. Different groups of manuscripts with collections of Piccolomini’s letters, some of them never before studied, were identified as well as miscellaneous manuscripts with works by many authors.
The second objective involved studying which letters were most widely circulated, in relation to their content. To analyze all this material an interdisciplinary methodology was used, which included textual criticism, book history, codicology, and history of literature. The result allowed for better understanding of the circulation of Piccolomini’s works in the second half of the 15th century and in the first half of the 16th century, both in reference to literary and religious interests. In particular the project identified: 1) which letters or groups of letters and which works were not only widely read, but became models in the use of the Latin language and in the cultural formation of the second half of the 15th century; 2) which works spread widely discussed religious and political ideas between the 15th and 16th centuries; and 3) which works included devotional texts. A particularly significant aspect, 4), which opened a parallel branch of research, emerged from the examination of some collections of letters and some manuscripts that connect Piccolomini to Ambrogio Traversari, another key figure of Italian humanism and religious history of the first half of the 15th century, in the context of the Council of Basel. The research delved into this strand in order to publish Traversari’s Hodoeporicon and to better substantiate the first three points in anticipation of a monograph.
The project was presented in the University of Turin’s online magazine Frida (October 2022), at the ‘Goggio Lecture’, Department of Italian Studies (March 2023), and at an international workshop in Turin (2025). During these three years one or more panels were organized for the following conferences: the Renaissance Society of America Virtual (December 2022) and in person in Chicago (March 2024) and Boston (2025); the Society for Renaissance Studies in Liverpool (July 2023) and Bristol (2025); the Society for Italian Studies at Royal Holloway, Egham (June 2024) and a paper was given. An international conference was also organized in Turin (2025).
Turning to engagement with the general public, there were an exhibition at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library in Toronto; a conference at the cultural association Vita Tre (2025), the ‘Research night’ in Biella (2025), and the project’s website, with images of manuscripts chosen from various works by Piccolomini; a summer school for teachers, graduates and doctoral students at the University of Turin (2025).
To achieve its primary research objectives the project comprised two short objectives: a) to produce a complete census of Piccolomini’s letters; b) to have a detailed understanding of the content of his letters, paying special attention to cultural, religious, and political questions and his interactions with others.
Meeting the first objective involved cataloguing over 1,000 manuscripts from about 250 libraries around the world. Thanks to the catalogue of manuscripts, important information for the project was found, including Piccolomini’s works, dating and ownership thereof, miniatures, paratexts, and accompanying works by other authors. Different groups of manuscripts with collections of Piccolomini’s letters, some of them never before studied, were identified as well as miscellaneous manuscripts with works by many authors.
The second objective involved studying which letters were most widely circulated, in relation to their content. To analyze all this material an interdisciplinary methodology was used, which included textual criticism, book history, codicology, and history of literature. The result allowed for better understanding of the circulation of Piccolomini’s works in the second half of the 15th century and in the first half of the 16th century, both in reference to literary and religious interests. In particular the project identified: 1) which letters or groups of letters and which works were not only widely read, but became models in the use of the Latin language and in the cultural formation of the second half of the 15th century; 2) which works spread widely discussed religious and political ideas between the 15th and 16th centuries; and 3) which works included devotional texts. A particularly significant aspect, 4), which opened a parallel branch of research, emerged from the examination of some collections of letters and some manuscripts that connect Piccolomini to Ambrogio Traversari, another key figure of Italian humanism and religious history of the first half of the 15th century, in the context of the Council of Basel. The research delved into this strand in order to publish Traversari’s Hodoeporicon and to better substantiate the first three points in anticipation of a monograph.
The project was presented in the University of Turin’s online magazine Frida (October 2022), at the ‘Goggio Lecture’, Department of Italian Studies (March 2023), and at an international workshop in Turin (2025). During these three years one or more panels were organized for the following conferences: the Renaissance Society of America Virtual (December 2022) and in person in Chicago (March 2024) and Boston (2025); the Society for Renaissance Studies in Liverpool (July 2023) and Bristol (2025); the Society for Italian Studies at Royal Holloway, Egham (June 2024) and a paper was given. An international conference was also organized in Turin (2025).
Turning to engagement with the general public, there were an exhibition at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library in Toronto; a conference at the cultural association Vita Tre (2025), the ‘Research night’ in Biella (2025), and the project’s website, with images of manuscripts chosen from various works by Piccolomini; a summer school for teachers, graduates and doctoral students at the University of Turin (2025).
The project provided a significant contribution to knowledge of the spread of Renaissance humanism in Europe. Thanks to these three years of research, it is possible to identify the texts which circulated most widely around the continent. Particularly important developments have been made around understanding of certain letters and various religious and political texts and their legacy, the development of Piccolomini’s pedagogical ideas, his significant connection to Ambrogio Traversari, and the importance of the concept of poetic coronation in the circulation of Piccolomini’s letters. By examining the connection between Piccolomini and Ambrogio Traversari, the importance of reading and quoting the Bible as a point of reference for one’s religious thought and as a source of support for one’s argument(s) was explored in the writings of both men.
The results of this research are partly shared in articles published by important journals in the field, or in collective publications, and have been broadcast through nine international conferences. Other publications are planned.
The study of intellectual networks and communities of ideas has attracted significant interest from both scholars and the general public. The study of humanist and the Renaissance culture has particularly benefitted from the methodological advances made in this project. The conference organized in Turin brought together numerous Italian and foreign scholars to discuss this both from a diachronic and comparative perspective. The exhibition in Toronto and the summer school in Turin saw a large number of teachers and doctoral students take part in classroom and library lessons, and participate with interest in discussions.
The results of this research are partly shared in articles published by important journals in the field, or in collective publications, and have been broadcast through nine international conferences. Other publications are planned.
The study of intellectual networks and communities of ideas has attracted significant interest from both scholars and the general public. The study of humanist and the Renaissance culture has particularly benefitted from the methodological advances made in this project. The conference organized in Turin brought together numerous Italian and foreign scholars to discuss this both from a diachronic and comparative perspective. The exhibition in Toronto and the summer school in Turin saw a large number of teachers and doctoral students take part in classroom and library lessons, and participate with interest in discussions.