Francesco Scipione, marchese di Maffei

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Francesco Scipione
Engraving by Pietro Anderloni
Born	June 1, 1675 Verona, Republic of Venice, now Italy
Died	February 11, 1755 Verona, Italy
Occupation	Dramatist, Archaeologist, Soldier

Francesco Scipione, marchese di Maffei (1675 - 1755) was an Italian writer and art critic, author of many articles and plays.

Scipione was born in Verona, to a family from Bologna.

He studied for five years in Parma, at the Jesuit College, and afterwards from 1698 at Rome where he studied at the Academia degli Arcadi. On his return to Verona, he established a branch of the Roman academy.

In 1703 he volunteered to fight for Bavaria in the War of Spanish Succession, and saw action in 1704 at the Battle of Schellenberg, near Donauwörth, and later at the Battle of Blenheim, where he commanded five Bavarian infantry battalions.

In 1709 at Padua, along with Apostolo Zeno and Valisnieri, he edited the Giornale dei letterati d'Italia, a literary periodical which had but a short career; subsequently an acquaintance with the actor Riccoboni led him to exert himself for the improvement of dramatic art in Italy and revitalized Italian theatre. His masterpiece, the tragedy Merope, 1714, brought him popularity in Europe; it is famed for its rapid action and the elimination of the prologue and chorus. Other works include Teatro Italiano, a small collection of works for presentation on the stage, in 1723-1725; and Le Ceremonie, an original comedy, in 1728. A complete edition of his works appeared at Venice (28 vols. 8vo in 1790).

From 1718 he became especially interested in the archaeology of his native town, and his investigations resulted in the valuable Verona illustrata (1731-1732). Maffei afterwards devoted four years to travel in France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

On his return to Verona, he built a museum, which he bequeathed, together with his valuable archaeological and artistic collection, to his native city. In later life he became interested in astronomy and physics, and built an observatory to study the stars.

The secondary school 'Liceo Maffei' in Verona is named in his honour.

He is also known for having written an influential article about the first pianoforte instruments of Bartolomeo Cristofori, which initiated the second generation of piano-makers in Italy at that time.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

• Falkner, James. Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory. Pen & Sword. ISBN 1-84415-050-X
• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.