Giammaria Mazzucchelli
Encyclopedia
Count Giammaria Mazzuchelli (or Giovanni Maria Mazzucchelli) (28 November 1707 – 19 November 1765) was an Italian
writer
, bibliographer
and historian
.
, where he studied under Francesco Saverio Quadrio, and later in Padua
, where he studied under Domenico Lazzarini, where he graduated in 1728. In the same year, he married Barbara Chizzoli, an heiress whose dowry allowed him to devote himself to historical studies. Mazzucchelli's father bought the Moggi’s sixteenth century family house, located between Brescia and Lake Garda
, in 1722, and added the central building and the west wing some time later. Giammaria completed the construction in 1753, as stated on the memorial tablet set between the pronaos’ central door architrave and the tympanum.
, Pietro Aretino
, Lodovico Adimari, Alamanni Luigi, Matteo and Filippo Villani
). From this experience, he conceived an ambitious plan to collect biographies of all the writers of Italy from the earliest times, including the history around their works. In this endeavor, he relied on the Queriniana library in Brescia, the library donated by the Cardinal Quirini Angelo Maria, and his extensive correspondence with the scholars of Italy and Europe. He began to compile a dictionary of great writers of Italy, but the work remained unfinished because of his untimely death. However, Mazzuchelli opened the way to the history of Italian literature, recognized by Girolamo Tiraboschi in the Introduction of his greatest work, and subsequent historians. Much of Mazzuchelli's unpublished material is still in manuscript form in the Vatican Library. A copy is also in the collection of the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, bibliographer
Bibliographer
"A bibliographer is a person who describes and lists books and other publications, with particular attention to such characteristics as authorship, publication date, edition, typography, etc. The result of this endeavor is a bibliography...
and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
.
Biography
Mazzuchelli was the son of Count Federico Mazzuchelli (Brescia, 1671–1746) and Margaret Muzzi. Due to poor health during early childhood, he studied at first with a private tutor. He continued his studies in BolognaBologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, where he studied under Francesco Saverio Quadrio, and later in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, where he studied under Domenico Lazzarini, where he graduated in 1728. In the same year, he married Barbara Chizzoli, an heiress whose dowry allowed him to devote himself to historical studies. Mazzucchelli's father bought the Moggi’s sixteenth century family house, located between Brescia and Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
, in 1722, and added the central building and the west wing some time later. Giammaria completed the construction in 1753, as stated on the memorial tablet set between the pronaos’ central door architrave and the tympanum.
Works
He began with numerous scholarly and accurate biographies of ancient and more modern authors, eg., ArchimedesArchimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity. Among his advances in physics are the foundations of hydrostatics, statics and an...
, Pietro Aretino
Pietro Aretino
Pietro Aretino was an Italian author, playwright, poet and satirist who wielded immense influence on contemporary art and politics and invented modern literate pornography.- Life :...
, Lodovico Adimari, Alamanni Luigi, Matteo and Filippo Villani
Filippo Villani
Filippo Villani was a chronicler of Florence. Son of the chronicler Matteo Villani, he extended the original Nuova Cronica of his uncle Giovanni Villani down to 1382.-Career:...
). From this experience, he conceived an ambitious plan to collect biographies of all the writers of Italy from the earliest times, including the history around their works. In this endeavor, he relied on the Queriniana library in Brescia, the library donated by the Cardinal Quirini Angelo Maria, and his extensive correspondence with the scholars of Italy and Europe. He began to compile a dictionary of great writers of Italy, but the work remained unfinished because of his untimely death. However, Mazzuchelli opened the way to the history of Italian literature, recognized by Girolamo Tiraboschi in the Introduction of his greatest work, and subsequent historians. Much of Mazzuchelli's unpublished material is still in manuscript form in the Vatican Library. A copy is also in the collection of the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma.