The Gentleman, the Virtuoso, the Inquirer

Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa and the Art of Collecting in Early Modern Spain

Edited By: Mar Rey Bueno

£34.99

Explore the world of Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa, a scientific collector in early modern Spain. His cabinet of curiosities, garden, and library reveal a 'virtuoso' immersed in the wonders of nature, furthering the ideal of factuality in the Scientific Revolution.

The Gentleman, the Virtuoso, the Inquirer: Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa and the Art of Collecting in Early Modern Spain explores the history of the Aragonese…

The Gentleman, the Virtuoso, the Inquirer: Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa and the Art of Collecting in Early Modern Spain explores the history of the Aragonese Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa (1607-1682) as scientific collector: his cabinet of curiosities, the garden created in the enviroment of his palace, his chemical laboratory, and the books, manuscripts, maps and other curiosities collected in his library.

At once a patron, courtier, and ‘curioso’, Lastanosa was deeply inmersed in the culture of ‘virtuosity’ and its fascination with the wonders and secrets of nature.

Lastanosa was, perhaps, not an innovator, and certainly no Baconian, but, like many others collectors of his day, in his own way he furthered the ideal of factuality that was of cardinal importance in the early stages of the Scientific Revolution.

Mar Rey-Bueno (Ph.D. Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 2000). Independent Scholar. Her research focuses on alchemy, medicine and magic in Early Modern Spain. She is author of El hechizado: Medicina, alquimia y superstición en la corte de Carlos II (Madrid, Corona Borealis, 1998) and Los señores del fuego. Destiladores y espagíricos en la corte de los Austrias (Madrid, Corona Borealis, 2002) and editor of La Biblioteca Mágica (Madrid, Universidad Complutense, 2007).

Miguel López-Pérez (Ph.D. Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 2001). Independent Scholar. His research focuses on alchemy and medicine in Early Modern Spain. He is author of Asclepio Renovado: Medicina y alquimia en la España Moderna, 1500-1700 (Madrid, Corona Borealis, 2003) and co-editor of Los hijos de Hermes: Alquimia y espagiria en la terapéutica española moderna (Madrid, Corona Borealis, 2001).

Contributors Include; Harold J. Cook, Antonio Barrera-Osorio, John Slater, Jorge Cañizares-Esguerra, Daniela Bleichmar, Maria M. Portuondo, William Eamon, Bruce Moran, Rafael Chabrán and Anne Goldgar.