Speaker
Description
We discuss one of the most plausible bona fide portrait of Copernicus during his Italian stay, brought to the attention by Sergio Bettini in 1975: that in the fresco dedicated to the Marriage of the Virgin in the Scoletta del Carmine, probably painted by Giulio Campagnola (1480-1515) in the first decade of 1500. The strange Juxtaposition of the astronomer and several celebrated painters (Durer, Bellini, Mantegna, Morto da Feltre and Campagnola himself may be recognized in the scene) and the uncertain attribution to the friend and collaborator of Giorgione da Castelfranco could help to focus on the artistic and humanistic milieu that the Polish scientist met in Padua and Venice. Furthermore, we will point out in that period and place a possible connection of Copernicus with the astrologer Giovan Battista Abioso (1453-1523) (via Campagnola and Giorgione), highlighting their common interest in Regiomontanus’ works.
