Daughters of Alchemy: Women and Scientific Culture in Early Modern Italy (I Tatti Studies in Italian Renaissance History)

The era of the Scientific Revolution has long been epitomized by Galileo. Yet many women were at its vanguard, deeply invested in empirical culture. They experimented with medicine and practical alchemy at home, at court, and through collaborative networks of practitioners. In academies, salons, and correspondence, they debated cosmological discoveries; in their literary production, they used their knowledge of natural philosophy to argue for their intellectual equality to men. Meredith Ray restores the work of these women to our understanding of early modern scientific culture. Her study begins with Caterina Sforza’s alchemical recipes; examines the sixteenth-century vogue for “books of secrets”; and looks at narratives of science in works by Moderata Fonte and Lucrezia Marinella. It concludes with Camilla Erculiani’s letters on natural philosophy and, finally, Margherita Sarrocchi’s defense of Galileo’s “Medicean” stars. Combining literary and cultural analysis, __Daughters of Alchemy__ contributes to the emerging scholarship on the variegated nature of scientific practice in the early modern era. Drawing on a range of under-studied material including new analyses of the Sarrocchi–Galileo correspondence and a previously unavailable manuscript of Sforza’s __Experimenti__, Ray’s book rethinks early modern science, properly reintroducing the integral and essential work of women. The Era Of The Scientific Revolution Has Long Been Epitomized By Galileo. Yet Many Women Were At Its Vanguard, Deeply Invested In Empirical Culture. They Experimented With Medicine And Practical Alchemy At Home, At Court, And Through Collaborative Networks Of Practitioners. In Academies, Salons, And Correspondence, They Debated Cosmological Discoveries; In Their Literary Production, They Used Their Knowledge Of Natural Philosophy To Argue For Their Intellectual Equality To Men. Meredith Ray Restores The Work Of These Women To Our Understanding Of Early Modern Scientific Culture. Her Study Begins With Caterina Sforza’s Alchemical Recipes; Examines The Sixteenth-century Vogue For 'books Of Secrets'; And Looks At Narratives Of Science In Works By Moderata Fonte And Lucrezia Marinella. It Concludes With Camilla Erculiani’s Letters On Natural Philosophy And, Finally, Margherita Sarrocchi’s Defense Of Galileo’s 'medicean' Stars. Combining Literary And Cultural Analysis, Daughters Of Alchemy Contributes To The Emerging Scholarship On The Variegated Nature Of Scientific Practice In The Early Modern Era. Drawing On A Range Of Under-studied Material Including New Analyses Of The Sarrocchi–galileo Correspondence And A Previously Unavailable Manuscript Of Sforza’s Experimenti, Ray’s Book Rethinks Early Modern Science, Properly Reintroducing The Integral And Essential Work Of Women.-- Caterina Sforza's Experiments With Alchemy -- The Secrets Of Isabella Cortese : Practical Alchemy And Women Readers -- Scientific Culture And The Renaissance Querelle Des Femmes : Moderata Fonte And Lucrezia Marinella -- Scientific Circles In Italy And Abroad : Camilla Erculiani And Margherita Sarrochi -- Epilogue. Meredith K. Ray. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 249-280) And Index. "The era of the Scientific Revolution has long been epitomized by Galileo. Yet many women were at its vanguard, deeply invested in empirical culture. They experimented with medicine and practical alchemy at home, at court, and through collaborative networks of practitioners. In academies, salons, and correspondence, they debated cosmological discoveries; in their literary production, they used their knowledge of natural philosophy to argue for their intellectual equality to men. Meredith Ray restores the work of these women to our understanding of early modern scientific culture. Her study begins with Caterina Sforza's alchemical recipes; examines the sixteenth-century vogue for "books of secrets"; and looks at narratives of science in works by Moderata Fonte and Lucrezia Marinella. It concludes with Camilla Erculiani's letters on natural philosophy and, finally, Margherita Sarrocchi's defense of Galileo's "Medicean" stars. Combining literary and cultural analysis, Daughters of Alchemy contributes to the emerging scholarship on the variegated nature of scientific practice in the early modern era. Drawing on a range of under-studied material including new analyses of the Sarrocchi-Galileo correspondence and a previously unavailable manuscript of Sforza's Experimenti, Ray's book rethinks early modern science, properly reintroducing the integral and essential work of women." -- Publisher's description The era of the Scientific Revolution has long been epitomized by Galileo. Yet many women were at its vanguard, deeply invested in empirical culture. They experimented with medicine and practical alchemy at home, at court, and through collaborative networks of practitioners. In academies, salons, and correspondence, they debated cosmological discoveries; in their literary production, they used their knowledge of natural philosophy to argue for their intellectual equality to men. Meredith Ray restores the work of these women to our understanding of early modern scientific culture. Her study begins with Caterina Sforza's alchemical recipes; examines the sixteenth-century vogue for books of secrets; and looks at narratives of science in works by Moderata Fonte and Lucrezia Marinella. It concludes with Camilla Erculiani s letters on natural philosophy and, finally, Margherita Sarrocchi s defense of Galileo's Medicean stars. Combining literary and cultural analysis, 'Daughters of alchemy' contributes to the emerging scholarship on the variegated nature of scientific practice in the early modern era. Drawing on a range of under-studied material including new analyses of the Sarrocchi Galileo correspondence and a previously unavailable manuscript of Sforza's "Experimenti," Ray's book rethinks early modern science, properly reintroducing the integral and essential work of women." Many women were at the vanguard in the era of the scientific revolution, deeply invested in empirical culture, yet their names are largely unknown. Ray's study begins with Caterina Sforza's alchemical recipes; examines the sixteenth-century vogue for "books of secrets"; and looks at narratives of science in works by Moderata Fonte and Lucrezia Marinella. It concludes with Camilla Erculiani's letters on natural philosophy and, finally, Margherita Sarrocchi's defense of Galileo's "Medicean" stars. Her book rethinks early modern science, properly reintroducing the integral and essential work of women Contents 7 Introduction 11 1. Caterina Sforza’s Experiments with Alchemy 24 2. The Secrets of Isabella Cortese: Practical Alchemy and Women Readers 56 3. Scientific Culture and the Renaissance Querelle des Femmes: Moderata Fonte and Lucrezia Marinella 83 4. Scientific Circles in Italy and Abroad: Camilla Erculiani and Margherita Sarrocchi 121 Epilogue 166 Abbreviations 173 Notes 175 Bibliography 259 Acknowledgments 291 Index 293 Meredith Ray shows that women were at the vanguard of empirical culture during the Scientific Revolution. They experimented with medicine and alchemy at home and in court, debated cosmological discoveries in salons and academies, and in their writings used their knowledge of natural philosophy to argue for women’s intellectual equality to men.