Italian books and French medical libraries in the renaissance
Abstract
This chapter explores the circulation, collection and use of Italian books by French medical doctors in the Renaissance. Medical humanism and the innovative methods adopted in Italian universities prompted many doctors and students of medicine to travel to Italy. This chapter explores how they acquired Italian books for their courses and collected them as mementos of their journey. The author highlights the exchange of Italian books both as gifts and as part of private transactions. Court physicians were particularly keen collectors of such items. The evidence presented from probate inventories indicates that doctors owned a range of items, from cheap editions for everyday use to valuable items of great prestige. The chapter concludes with reflections on collecting as a means of social elevation.
Citation
Graheli , S 2017 , Italian books and French medical libraries in the renaissance . in D Bellingradt , P Nelles & J Salman (eds) , Books in Motion in Early Modern Europe . New Directions in Book History , Palgrave , London , pp. 243-266 . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53366-7_11
Publication
Books in Motion in Early Modern Europe
Status
Peer reviewed
Type
Book item
Rights
© 2017 the Author. This work has been made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53366-7_11
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