A lecture by Alessio Assonitis
Before the advent of printed newspapers, handwritten newsletters or avvisi circulated around 16th and 17th century Europe (and beyond), carrying information on current events. Reports on important matters were covered in depth; including armed conflicts, political developments, the progress of epidemics, marriage negotiations among ruling families, celestial portents and natural catastrophes. Any remaining space was given over to entertaining human interest stories: the arrival of famous visitors, notorious court cases, heinous crimes, the maladies of prominent people, and so on. Florence was an epicentre of this vast informational system which united Europe at the time when it was divided by language, religion, and national identities.
Alessio Assonitis, Director of the Medici Archive Project examines how the Medici Grand Dukes exploited the avvisi to ensure the ascendency and survival of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
If you are in Florence and would like to attend the lecture in person at the British Institute Library, please register here or send an email to bif@britishinstitute.it
The registration fee is 12 Euro per person.
To join this lecture online, simply click on this link to register and receive the Zoom meeting invitation: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rdOioqz4uH9SlstAEgvtXHePBcDvVKsP2
The virtual doors will open at 18:00 Italian time on Wednesday 24th April.
A recording of the virtual lecture will be published on our YouTube channel. Clicking on the link above, you authorise the British Institute of Florence to use your image, name and comments.
There is no charge to attend the event on Zoom, but we ask you to consider making a donation to support the Institute and its beautiful library if you wish to attend an event.
This lecture is sponsored by Angela and Richard Camber