Cécile Caby and Clémence Revest have edited an special issue for the Mélanges de l’École française de Rome – Moyen Âge under the title Le Vite di Vespasiano da Bisticci: nuove prospettive di ricerca. My paper “The Iberian biographies in Vespasiano da Bisticci’s Lives” explores the biographies of Spaniard figures written by Vespasiano:
In this paper, I undertake an examination of the inclusion of Spaniard figures in Vespasiano da Bisticci’s renowned Lives. Amidst the varied origins of the biographees cataloged by Vespasiano, which span English, German, Greek, or Hungarian characters, the Peninsular ones emerge prominently. The study encompasses sixteen biographies, presenting a diverse array of figures, including king Alfonso V of Aragon, five cardinals, four bishops and prelates, four statesmen and jurists, and two men of letter, originating from the Crown of Aragon, Castile, and Portugal. Additionally, I aim to explore the motivations that impelled the Florentine «cartolaio» to incorporate these individuals into his collection of biographies, as well as to illuminate the lives of some lesser-known humanistic figures.
It has been a real pleasure to collaborate with Cécile and Clémence, whom I first met in Rome in 2020, just before the pandemic. I wish our shared interest in life writing continues to bring our paths together!