Secretes of Alexis Piedmont

Document Type

Miscellaneous

Publication Date

12-2017

Abstract

Everything from medicine and food, to inks and dyes, and metals and gems, The Secretes of the Reverende Mayster Alexis of Piemount (hereafter referred to as The Book of Secretes) has the answer you seek.

This book was written by Girolamo Ruscelli under the pseudonymn of Alexis of Piemount. It was written originally in Italian and published in Venice in 1556. The second edition was translated from Italian to French and published in Paris. The third edition was translated from French into English and published in London. This exact copy of the book was translated by Wyllyam Warde, a physician for Queen Elizabeth I, and published by Henry Sutton in 1559.

A book of secrets would have generally been written for the common, middle class person. People inclined to pick up this book would mostly have been scholars, up and coming elites, or the average person who wanted to increase their knowledge. These books had a big appeal for the middle classes because they layed out methods of improving one's life whether through heatlh, wealth, or perception of status. Books of secrets were also an early example of the scientific revolution, as they contained examples of experimentation and a search for knowledge.

This specific book of secrets is divided into two parts, with six books (or sections) in the first part. Each section contains differing recipes pertaining to medicine, food, beauty products, inks, dyes, metals, and gems. This exhibit explores the topics portrayed in each section and expounds on how these topics pertain to Renaissance life. The pages are layed out in the same order of the sections within The Book of Secretes.

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