In 1490-91 Leonardo, exasperated by the misdeeds of the young assistant Giacomo Caprotti, described him with a list of not very flattering adjectives, which has become famous: "thief, liar, stubborn, greedy". However, what has always seemed to be an emotional outburst is actually a quotation from the mock-heroic poem by Luigi Pulci, Morgante: an early reading of fundamental importance for Leonardo’s cultural identity at the Sforza court. From it––as it is known––Da Vinci would have subsequently also taken the nickname for his pupil: Salaì––the devil.

"Ladro, bugiardo, ostinato, ghiotto": un nuovo ricordo dal Morgante

R. Maffeis
2019-01-01

Abstract

In 1490-91 Leonardo, exasperated by the misdeeds of the young assistant Giacomo Caprotti, described him with a list of not very flattering adjectives, which has become famous: "thief, liar, stubborn, greedy". However, what has always seemed to be an emotional outburst is actually a quotation from the mock-heroic poem by Luigi Pulci, Morgante: an early reading of fundamental importance for Leonardo’s cultural identity at the Sforza court. From it––as it is known––Da Vinci would have subsequently also taken the nickname for his pupil: Salaì––the devil.
2019
Leonardo da Vinci, Salaì, Luigi Pulci, Morgante, Margutte, manuscript, literature, library, workshop
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/1119167
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