Paolo Alessandro Maffei
Encyclopedia
Paolo Alessandro Maffei was an antiquarian
with a humanist
education, who was active in Rome. Maffei was the son of Paolo Maffei and his wife Giovanna di Raffaele, both of patrician families of Volterra
. He was a descendant of the humanist and papal bureaucrat Raffaele Maffei, "il Volterrano," (1451–1522), author of the Commentaria urbana (1506), dedicated to Julius II
. Paolo Alessandro was made a cavaliere of the Tuscan Order of Saint Stephen
and an honorary member of the Papal Guard. He wrote the laudatory biography of Pope Pius V
, in which he praised the Pope's suppression of newsletter
s and slanderous printed avvisi in 1572.
Maffei's name is familiar to art historians today because, when the entrepreneurial printer-publisher Domenico de' Rossi
published a collection of engravings of ancient and modern Roman sculpture
, Raccolta di statue antiche e moderne (Rome, 1704), he turned to the well-known antiquarian for suitably learned descriptive text, for what was in effect the first eighteenth-century art book, whose refined engravings by French artists were designed to appeal to the cognoscenti. The lavish folio volumes concentrated on the best-known ancient sculptures, with a handful of modern ones in prominent collections, and some antiquities that were interesting to the enlightened amateur largely for their attributed subject matter. The arrangement of the plates by collection demonstrated that the most admired Roman sculptures, aside from the pre-eminent collection in the Cortile del Belvedere
, had come to rest in four great family collections: Farnese, Medici
, Borghese
and Ludovici, and, as Honour and Penny have noted, no recent excavations had added new examples to the established canon of Roman antiquities.
Three further volumes on similar principles followed, concerned with engraved gems, a notable field for aristocratic collectors (and one rife with excellent sixteenth- and seventeenth-century fake
s), Gemme antiche figurate date in luce da Domenico de' Rossi colle sposizioni di Paolo Alessandro Maffei, (Rome 1707). Rossi may have been inspired by Mattei's copious notes contributed, under the name Paolo Antoniano, to the more erudite volume on the satires of "Quintus Settanus", the pseudonym of Cardinal Lodovico Sergardi, Satyrae, numero auctae mendes purgatae & singulae locupletiores... (Rome 1700). Sergardi's satires themselves were based on Roman originals.
Under the disguise of Paolo Riccobadi del Bovo he published a defense of Bernard de Montfaucon
's Diario Italico against the critical attacks of Francesco Ficorone.
A fire consumed all his library and his literary correspondence with other erudite Europeans, among whom was Leibnitz
, with the result that, as a man of letters, he is remembered largely for the notes in the commercial enterprise of the Raccolta di Statue.
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
with a humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
education, who was active in Rome. Maffei was the son of Paolo Maffei and his wife Giovanna di Raffaele, both of patrician families of Volterra
Volterra
Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as Velathri, to the Romans as Volaterrae, is a town and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy.-History:...
. He was a descendant of the humanist and papal bureaucrat Raffaele Maffei, "il Volterrano," (1451–1522), author of the Commentaria urbana (1506), dedicated to Julius II
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...
. Paolo Alessandro was made a cavaliere of the Tuscan Order of Saint Stephen
Order of Saint Stephen
The Order of Saint Stephen is a Tuscan dynastic-military order founded in 1561. The order was created by Cosimo I de' Medici, first Grand Duke of Tuscany. The last member of the Medici dynasty to be a leader of the order was Gian Gastone de Medici in 1737...
and an honorary member of the Papal Guard. He wrote the laudatory biography of Pope Pius V
Pope Pius V
Pope Saint Pius V , born Antonio Ghislieri , was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardization of the Roman liturgy within the Latin Church...
, in which he praised the Pope's suppression of newsletter
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
s and slanderous printed avvisi in 1572.
Maffei's name is familiar to art historians today because, when the entrepreneurial printer-publisher Domenico de' Rossi
Domenico de' Rossi
Domenico de' Rossi was an Italian sculptor and engraver.In 1709 Domenico inherited the printshop of Giovanni Giacomo de' Rossi, by the church of Santa Maria della Pace, the largest and most long-lived publisher of the Roman baroque...
published a collection of engravings of ancient and modern Roman sculpture
Roman sculpture
The study of ancient Roman sculpture is complicated by its relation to Greek sculpture. Many examples of even the most famous Greek sculptures, such as the Apollo Belvedere and Barberini Faun, are known only from Roman Imperial or Hellenistic "copies." At one time, this imitation was taken by art...
, Raccolta di statue antiche e moderne (Rome, 1704), he turned to the well-known antiquarian for suitably learned descriptive text, for what was in effect the first eighteenth-century art book, whose refined engravings by French artists were designed to appeal to the cognoscenti. The lavish folio volumes concentrated on the best-known ancient sculptures, with a handful of modern ones in prominent collections, and some antiquities that were interesting to the enlightened amateur largely for their attributed subject matter. The arrangement of the plates by collection demonstrated that the most admired Roman sculptures, aside from the pre-eminent collection in the Cortile del Belvedere
Cortile del Belvedere
The Cortile del Belvedere, the Belvedere courtyard, designed by Donato Bramante from 1506 onwards, was a major architectural work of the High Renaissance at the Vatican Palace in Rome; its concept and details reverberating in courtyard design, formalized piazzas and garden plans throughout Western...
, had come to rest in four great family collections: Farnese, Medici
Medici
The House of Medici or Famiglia de' Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside,...
, Borghese
Borghese
Borghese is the surname of a family of Italian noble and papal background, originating as the Borghese or Borghesi in Siena, where they came to prominence in the 13th century holding offices under the commune. The head of the family, Marcantonio, moved to Rome in the 16th century and there,...
and Ludovici, and, as Honour and Penny have noted, no recent excavations had added new examples to the established canon of Roman antiquities.
Three further volumes on similar principles followed, concerned with engraved gems, a notable field for aristocratic collectors (and one rife with excellent sixteenth- and seventeenth-century fake
Fake
Fake means not real.Fake may also refer to:In music:* Fake , a Swedish synthpop band active in the 1980s*Fake?, a Japanese rock band* Fake , 2010 song by Ai featuring Namie Amuro...
s), Gemme antiche figurate date in luce da Domenico de' Rossi colle sposizioni di Paolo Alessandro Maffei, (Rome 1707). Rossi may have been inspired by Mattei's copious notes contributed, under the name Paolo Antoniano, to the more erudite volume on the satires of "Quintus Settanus", the pseudonym of Cardinal Lodovico Sergardi, Satyrae, numero auctae mendes purgatae & singulae locupletiores... (Rome 1700). Sergardi's satires themselves were based on Roman originals.
Under the disguise of Paolo Riccobadi del Bovo he published a defense of Bernard de Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon was a French Benedictine monk, a scholar who founded a new discipline, palaeography; an editor of works of the Fathers of the Church; he is also regarded to be one of the founders of modern archaeology.-Early life:Montfaucon was born January 13, 1655 in the castle of...
's Diario Italico against the critical attacks of Francesco Ficorone.
A fire consumed all his library and his literary correspondence with other erudite Europeans, among whom was Leibnitz
Leibnitz
Leibnitz is a city in the Austrian state of Styria and at the 2001 census had a population of approximately 7.577 .It is located to the south of the city of Graz, between the Mur and Sulm rivers....
, with the result that, as a man of letters, he is remembered largely for the notes in the commercial enterprise of the Raccolta di Statue.