Luca Landucci
Encyclopedia
Luca Landucci was an Italian apothecary
from Florence
, best known as the writer of a diary which later became an important primary source
about the history of Florence.
The eldest of two sons of a prosperous citizen of Florence, Landucci was trained as a bookkeeper, and became the apprentice to an apothecary at the age of sixteen. Six years later, he formed a partnership with a friend and opened a shop, but was forced to dissolve the partnership when the friend proved too spendthrift and exhausted all of their capital. Landucci married a woman named Salvestra at the age of thirty, and used his wife's dowry to open a new shop. The business prospered, and after fourteen more years he was able to move his shop to a better spot across from the soon-to-be-constructed Strozzi Palace
. The Landuccis had twelve children together, and Luca remained at this location until his death in 1516.
In 1450, Landucci began keeping the diary that would posthumously prove his claim to fame, diligently recording events of the day until his death. The diary was continued after Luca's death by an unknown writer until 1542. The first English language
translation, performed by Alice de Rosen Jervis, was published in 1927 as A Florentine diary from 1450 to 1516. Landucci's original manuscript is preserved in the Biblioteca Comunale
in Siena
.
A street in modern Florence, Via Luca Landucci, is named in his honor. It connects the Via Capo di Mondo and the Cavalcavia dell'Affrico.
Apothecary
Apothecary is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist and some caregivers....
from Florence
Republic of Florence
The Republic of Florence , or the Florentine Republic, was a city-state that was centered on the city of Florence, located in modern Tuscany, Italy. The republic was founded in 1115, when the Florentine people rebelled against the Margraviate of Tuscany upon Margravine Matilda's death. The...
, best known as the writer of a diary which later became an important primary source
Primary source
Primary source is a term used in a number of disciplines to describe source material that is closest to the person, information, period, or idea being studied....
about the history of Florence.
The eldest of two sons of a prosperous citizen of Florence, Landucci was trained as a bookkeeper, and became the apprentice to an apothecary at the age of sixteen. Six years later, he formed a partnership with a friend and opened a shop, but was forced to dissolve the partnership when the friend proved too spendthrift and exhausted all of their capital. Landucci married a woman named Salvestra at the age of thirty, and used his wife's dowry to open a new shop. The business prospered, and after fourteen more years he was able to move his shop to a better spot across from the soon-to-be-constructed Strozzi Palace
Palazzo Strozzi
Palazzo Strozzi is a palace in Florence, Italy.-History:The construction of the palace begun in 1489 by Benedetto da Maiano, for Filippo Strozzi the Elder, a rival of the Medici who had returned to the city in November 1466 and desired the most magnificent palace to assert his family's continued...
. The Landuccis had twelve children together, and Luca remained at this location until his death in 1516.
In 1450, Landucci began keeping the diary that would posthumously prove his claim to fame, diligently recording events of the day until his death. The diary was continued after Luca's death by an unknown writer until 1542. The first English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation, performed by Alice de Rosen Jervis, was published in 1927 as A Florentine diary from 1450 to 1516. Landucci's original manuscript is preserved in the Biblioteca Comunale
Biblioteca Comunale (Siena)
The Biblioteca Comunale is a municipal library in Siena, Italy.The library was opened to the public use in 1759 by Sallustio Bandini. The first librarian of the library was Giuseppe Ciaccheri . He was interested in everything related to the arts in Siena. In 1774 the library contained more than...
in Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
.
A street in modern Florence, Via Luca Landucci, is named in his honor. It connects the Via Capo di Mondo and the Cavalcavia dell'Affrico.