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Encyclopedia of Renaissance Philosophy pp 1–6Cite as

Books of Secrets: Renaissance

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Abstract

In the mid-sixteenth century, the literary genre which came to be known as “books of secrets” arose to become an international and long-lasting success. The features and topoi displayed in these books mirror some of the most important social, cultural, and scientific developments between late Renaissance and early modern period. Their authors crafted the persona of a restless seeker of secrets, walking the world and open-mindedly engaging with it, which was particularly appealing in an era of geographic discoveries and explorations. Spreading techniques and remedies alongside natural marvels, books of secrets participated in the late Renaissance reappraisal of artisanal knowledge, as well as the dissemination of natural philosophy within a broad audience. Taking full advantage of the mass medium of print, they promoted the circulation of technical, medical, and natural knowledge across the social ladder, attracting readers from the court to the piazza. The study of this literary genre has recently provided precious insights into the role of domestic households, courts, workshops, and markets in the history of medicine and science. For a brief but deeper discussion on this topic, see William Eamon’s contribution (forthcoming) on the Encyclopedia for Early Modern Philosophy and the Sciences (Springer).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Literary Studies, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Ruben Celani

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  1. Ruben Celani
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Correspondence to Ruben Celani .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Philosophy a. Cultural Heritage, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia Dept. of Philosophy a. Cultural Heritage, Venezia, Italy

    Marco Sgarbi

Section Editor information

  1. Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin, Germany

    Matteo Valleriani

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Celani, R. (2020). Books of Secrets: Renaissance. In: Sgarbi, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Renaissance Philosophy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_1138-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_1138-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-02848-4

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