Gian Francesco Gamurrini
Encyclopedia
Gian Francesco Gamurrini (Monte San Savino
, Province of Arezzo
May 18, 1835 – Arezzo March 17, 1923), an Italian archeologist and historian, bibliophile and connoisseur from an aristocratic Aretine family, found his interest in history initially piqued when he was selected by lot, at the age of 25, Rector of the Fraternità dei Laici, an ancient confraternity of Arezzo, whose history he published at the end of his term of office. Though he had studied in Perugia, the library of the Fraternità was his true school, sparking his interests in numismatics
and Etruscan studies, with which he was to make his name. Emil Hübner
, who was in the Arezzo library collecting inscriptions for Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
(edited by Theodor Mommsen
) introduced him to Wilhelm Henzen
, and together they encouraged him to publish his first work, Le iscrizioni degli antichi vasi fittili aretini (1859). He began to collect Etruscan and Roman inscriptions in the area of Arezzo, a project which he never brought to publishable form, and explored Etruscan and Roman sites in Central Italy, project that was to bear fruit years later in his archaeological map of Central Italy.
In 1865 he agitated for the protection of the artistic patrimony of Arezzo, as monasteries were being dissolved and unneeded churches secularized. In his first effort he saved from dismemberment the great altar of Santa Maria della Pieve ad Arezzo, enclosing a painting by Vasari
. At this period he met in Rome Francesco Orioli, whose course in Etruscan epigraphy Gamurrini followed attentively. It was Orioli who suggested the fruitful methodology, that of recording the results of his researches by subject. He pursued this schedario Gamurrini for the rest of his life.
In 1867 the minister Michele Coppino
appointed him to direct the museums of antiquities in the newly Royal Galleries of Florence
. In the eight years he spent in this position he was an advocate for the archeological patrimony that had previously been ignored, vulnerable to furtive sales on the gray market, arriving at a program for the future protection of the cultural patrimony, which he heralded in an article "Delle recenti scoperte e della cattiva fortuna dei monumenti antichi in Etruria" (1868). Collaborating with the Florentine numismatist
Carlo Strozzi, he founded a Periodico di Numismatica e Sfragistica per la Storia d’Italia which ended with Strozzi's death in 1875, but not before their combined energies had seen the Museo Etrusco di Firenze (Museum of Etruscan Antiquities), opened in 1871. Gamurrini was deputized to keep vigilance over excavations undertaken in Central Italy, with an eye to enriching the collections of the Museo Etrusco. Under his care, painted vases from the Campana collection and the Sarcophagus of the Amazons found at Tarquinia
were added to the museum's collections. Bureaucratic frictions led him to resign his public duties, turn down a seat in archaeology at Bologna and retire to his depleted patrimony at Monte San Savino. There he took up again his contacts in the network of local antiquaries.
Gamurrini was from 1892 the director of the Biblioteca e Museo della Fraternita dei Laici d'Arezzo, where he found the opportunity to compile the Bibliografia dell'Italia antica (1905).
The southeastern Val di Chiana, in the modern Italian province of Arezzo, is well-known for its Etruscan
remains, particularly in the vicinity of the modern towns of Cortona and Chiusi. Gamurrini was a pioneer in this area: he published his work on the Etruscan site that became the Roman Imperial villa at Ossaia, a small suburb to the southeast of Cortona (Arezzo) in 1881.
In Arezzo, via Gamurrini commemorates him.
Monte San Savino
Monte San Savino is a town and comune in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany . It is located on the Essa stream in the Valdichiana. Several of its frazioni occupy higher hills, like Gargonza with its castle and Palazzuolo ....
, Province of Arezzo
Province of Arezzo
The Province of Arezzo or Arretium is the easternmost province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Arezzo.It has an area of 3,232 km², and a total population of 323,288 in 39 comuni . At June 30, 2005, the main comuni by population are:- External links :...
May 18, 1835 – Arezzo March 17, 1923), an Italian archeologist and historian, bibliophile and connoisseur from an aristocratic Aretine family, found his interest in history initially piqued when he was selected by lot, at the age of 25, Rector of the Fraternità dei Laici, an ancient confraternity of Arezzo, whose history he published at the end of his term of office. Though he had studied in Perugia, the library of the Fraternità was his true school, sparking his interests in numismatics
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
and Etruscan studies, with which he was to make his name. Emil Hübner
Emil Hübner
Emil Hübner was a German classical scholar.He was born at Düsseldorf, the son of the historical painter Julius Hübner ,...
, who was in the Arezzo library collecting inscriptions for Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
The Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum is a comprehensive collection of ancient Latin inscriptions. It forms an authoritative source for documenting the surviving epigraphy of classical antiquity. Public and personal inscriptions throw light on all aspects of Roman life and history...
(edited by Theodor Mommsen
Theodor Mommsen
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician, archaeologist, and writer generally regarded as the greatest classicist of the 19th century. His work regarding Roman history is still of fundamental importance for contemporary research...
) introduced him to Wilhelm Henzen
Wilhelm Henzen
Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Henzen was a German philologist and epigraphist born in Bremen.He studied philology at the Universities of Bonn and Berlin, then subsequently travelled to Paris and London, where he furthered his education by becoming fluent in French and English...
, and together they encouraged him to publish his first work, Le iscrizioni degli antichi vasi fittili aretini (1859). He began to collect Etruscan and Roman inscriptions in the area of Arezzo, a project which he never brought to publishable form, and explored Etruscan and Roman sites in Central Italy, project that was to bear fruit years later in his archaeological map of Central Italy.
In 1865 he agitated for the protection of the artistic patrimony of Arezzo, as monasteries were being dissolved and unneeded churches secularized. In his first effort he saved from dismemberment the great altar of Santa Maria della Pieve ad Arezzo, enclosing a painting by Vasari
Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari was an Italian painter, writer, historian, and architect, who is famous today for his biographies of Italian artists, considered the ideological foundation of art-historical writing.-Biography:...
. At this period he met in Rome Francesco Orioli, whose course in Etruscan epigraphy Gamurrini followed attentively. It was Orioli who suggested the fruitful methodology, that of recording the results of his researches by subject. He pursued this schedario Gamurrini for the rest of his life.
In 1867 the minister Michele Coppino
Michele Coppino
-Biography:Coppino was born in Alba, Piedmont into a poor family. He was professor of Italian literature at the University of Turin and rector of the same from 1868 to 1870, when he moved to Rome to follow his political roles.He participated to the elections for the Chamber of Deputies of the...
appointed him to direct the museums of antiquities in the newly Royal Galleries of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. In the eight years he spent in this position he was an advocate for the archeological patrimony that had previously been ignored, vulnerable to furtive sales on the gray market, arriving at a program for the future protection of the cultural patrimony, which he heralded in an article "Delle recenti scoperte e della cattiva fortuna dei monumenti antichi in Etruria" (1868). Collaborating with the Florentine numismatist
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
Carlo Strozzi, he founded a Periodico di Numismatica e Sfragistica per la Storia d’Italia which ended with Strozzi's death in 1875, but not before their combined energies had seen the Museo Etrusco di Firenze (Museum of Etruscan Antiquities), opened in 1871. Gamurrini was deputized to keep vigilance over excavations undertaken in Central Italy, with an eye to enriching the collections of the Museo Etrusco. Under his care, painted vases from the Campana collection and the Sarcophagus of the Amazons found at Tarquinia
Tarquinia
Tarquinia, formerly Corneto and in Antiquity Tarquinii, is an ancient city in the province of Viterbo, Lazio, Italy.- History :Tarquinii is said to have been already a flourishing city when Demaratus of Corinth brought in Greek workmen...
were added to the museum's collections. Bureaucratic frictions led him to resign his public duties, turn down a seat in archaeology at Bologna and retire to his depleted patrimony at Monte San Savino. There he took up again his contacts in the network of local antiquaries.
Gamurrini was from 1892 the director of the Biblioteca e Museo della Fraternita dei Laici d'Arezzo, where he found the opportunity to compile the Bibliografia dell'Italia antica (1905).
The southeastern Val di Chiana, in the modern Italian province of Arezzo, is well-known for its Etruscan
Etruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
remains, particularly in the vicinity of the modern towns of Cortona and Chiusi. Gamurrini was a pioneer in this area: he published his work on the Etruscan site that became the Roman Imperial villa at Ossaia, a small suburb to the southeast of Cortona (Arezzo) in 1881.
In Arezzo, via Gamurrini commemorates him.