Camillo Baldi

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Monument to Camillo Baldi in Archiginnasio's courtyard in Bologna

Camillo Baldi , also called Camillus Baldus and Camillo Baldo , (* around 1550 in Bologna , † March 24, 1637 there ) was an Italian philosopher and doctor .

Life

Camillo Baldi was born in 1550 as the son of Pietro Maria Baldi from a family of low nobility in Bologna. His father was a lecturer at the University of Bologna . Baldi completed his studies in the humanities, philosophy and medicine on February 14, 1572. In 1576 he received a chair in philosophy and began lecturing on the doctrine and logic of Aristotle . In 1579 he received his doctorate as professor of philosophy. From 1586 to 1590 he held the office of " Protologicus ". This can also be read from a publicly accessible inscription in the University of Bologna with the words "Secunda hora ad Logicam D. Camillus Baldus Prothologicus". Baldi retained this title for life, although he only held this office until 1589. Apparently, this feature was created specifically for Baldi, but little is known about what it included. From 1590 until his death in 1637 he was a professor of philosophy. In a six-year cycle he read works from the natural philosophy of Aristotle. During his sixty-year career at the university, his students dedicated three memorials to him: two paintings on the walls of the auditorium and a statue in the courtyard. Because such accolades are virtually unknown, it can be concluded that he was a very respected and popular teacher. He took on various managerial functions at the university. Among other things, he was “Decano” ( Dean ) and “Procancelliere” (Vice Chancellor). He was also director of Ulisse Aldrovandi's museum from 1620 to 1637 .

One of Baldi's students was the poet Alessandro Tassoni . Baldi is mentioned in various letters from Tassoni. In Tassoni's poem La Secchia rapita (The Stolen Bucket), Baldi is sent to Modena as the envoy of Bologna's citizens. The Modenese had stolen a symbolic bucket from the Bolognese and Baldi was supposed to negotiate to get it back.

The earliest work on graphology

Baldi left behind numerous manuscripts and publications on a wide range of topics. His essay Trattato Come Da Una Lettera Missiva Si Conoscano La Natura E Qualità Dello Scrittore is well known. Raccolta Dagli Scritti Del Sig Camillo Baldi Citadino. Bolognese E Dato All Stampe Since Gio Francesco Grillenzoni, ( treatise on how to in a letter to learn about the nature and quality of the writer. Collection of the writings of Mr. Camillo Baldi, citizens of Bologna, and sent to press by Gio Francesco Grillenzoni ) about graphology. It is the first detailed study on the subject and was published in 1622. At that time Baldi was over 70 years old. Another edition was printed in 1625. 1983 was a new edition by the Società Italiana di Grafologia, Bologna. This edition also includes a reproduction of the 1622 edition. The latest edition was published in 1992. In 1664 the work was translated into Latin . It was rediscovered and translated into French in 1900. The latest translation appeared in 1993.

The publication had its permanent place as a guide to letter writing in the educated Italian circles of the 16th and early 17th centuries. The explanations are based heavily on the classical Greek work De elocutione (About the expression) by Demetrius von Phaleron . Baldi follows Demetrius in that he disapproves of those whose language is too artificial. He notes that such people don't reveal anything about themselves, except that they are agile and contrived. He goes on: If they (the letters) are written completely unsophisticated and without learning, just as nature dictates the writer, then one can probably learn something about the writer . Baldi devotes only a few pages to his reflections on the manuscript (pp. 18–21), but it is on them that his reputation is based to this day. His interpretations of handwriting are interesting, but have little relation to modern theories of graphology.

For example, if the handwriting is both smooth and well-formed, and appears to have been written with pleasure, then it is likely that it was written by a person who is ignorant and worthless, for it is rare to find intelligent and clever people who write properly ... these writers are also often cool, stingy, foolish, excessive and careless .
On the other hand, he speaks of handwriting that is unfavorable, warped, poorly shaped and quick but still legible . In his opinion, such handwriting is the expression of a mature man who has written a lot.
He later says: If the handwriting is uneven, with wavy and usually rising lines, a person tends to want to dominate ... With such instability one can also add that he is probably choleric and inclined to indulge his impulses unreservedly .

Works (selection)

  • Alchemia e la sua medicina. Bibliotheca dell'Archiginnasio, Bologna 1597, MSS B., fol. 134r-134v. This work only exists as a manuscript and has never been published. A scientific treatise was written about it in 2010.
  • In physiognomica Aristotelis commentarii. Apud S. Bonomium, Bologna 1621, OCLC 820726081 . (A detailed commentary on the short pseudo-Aristotelian work on physiognomy ).
  • Alcune considerationi sopra una lettera d'Anton Perez scritta al duca di Lerma circa al modo di conservarsi in gratia del suo signore. Girolamo Vaschieri, Carpi 1622, OCLC 503968663 .
  • Trattato Come Da Una Lettera Missiva Si Conoscano La Natura E Qualità Dello Scrittore. Girolamo Vaschieri, Carpi 1622, OCLC 79563196 .
  • Trattato del modo di scriver bene una lettera. Girolamo Vaschieri, Carpi 1622.
  • Delle mentite et offese di parole, come possino accomodarsi. T. Mascheroni et C. Ferroni, Bologna 1623, OCLC 247670986 .
  • De naturali ex unguium inspectione praesagio commentarius. Haered. Johann Rossi, Bologna 1629.
  • De humanarum propensionum ex temperamento praenotionibus. Haered. Johann Rossi, Bologna 1629.
  • Congressi civili… ne quali, con precetti morali e politici, si mostra il modo facile d'acquistar e conservar gli amici. Nic Tebaldini, Bologna 1637.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ BALDI, Camillo. Biography on treccani.it
  2. ↑ Alessandro Tassoni, Pietro Puliatti (ed.): Lettere. G. Laterza, Bari 1978, OCLC 4439969 .
  3. ^ Camillo Baldi, Trattato Come Da Una Lettera Missiva Si Conoscano La Natura E Qualità Dello Scrittore. Giovanni Battista Bidelli, Milan 1625, OCLC 456853186 .
  4. ↑ Camillo Baldi Ed. Aurelio Valletta. Trattato Come Da Una Lettera Missiva Si Conoscano La Natura E Qualità Dello Scrittore.
  5. ↑ Laura Antonucci (ed.), With an introduction by Armando Petrucci. Edizioni Studio Tesi, Pordenone.
  6. ↑ Camillo Baldi (author), Petrus Velius ( transl .): De Ratione Cognoscendi Mores & Qualitates Scribentis ex ipsius Epistola Missiva. Bologna 1664, OCLC 764572772 .
  7. ↑ Camillo Baldi, J. Depoin (trans.): Des Moyens De Connaître Les Moeurs Et Les Aptitudes Du Scripteur À L'examen D'une Lettre Missive. Paris 1900, OCLC 859222687 .
  8. ↑ Camillo Baldi, Anne-Marie Debet, Alessandro Fontana ( transl. ): La Lettre Déchiffrée. Paris 1993, ISBN 2-251-46005-5 .
  9. ↑ Bruce T. Moran: The Singularity of Alchemical Experience: The Case of Camillo Baldi. (= Chymia: Science and nature in Medieval and early modern Europe. 2010).
personal data
SURNAME Baldi, Camillo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Baldus, Camillus; Baldo, Camillo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian philosopher and doctor
DATE OF BIRTH around 1550
PLACE OF BIRTH Bologna
DATE OF DEATH March 24, 1637
Place of death Bologna