Niccolò de' Niccoli
Niccolò de' Niccoli was born in Florence during the year 1364. He lived and died within the same city walls on the 22nd of January 1437. His life centered around a circle of learned men gathered under Cosimo de' Medici. This patronage allowed him to pursue his passion for ancient texts without financial ruin initially. The company he kept included some of the most important thinkers of the Italian Renaissance. They shared a deep interest in recovering lost classical knowledge from the past.
His chief service to literature involved correcting text and dividing chapters. Niccoli created tables of contents for these ancient manuscripts before they were published. Many valuable copies in the Laurentian Library bear his handwriting today. These include works by Lucretius and twelve comedies written by Plautus. Agents like Poggio Bracciolini worked in the field to find these dangerous and expensive items. Niccoli corrected errors and organized the material so others could read it clearly.
Cosimo de' Medici provided the funds needed to build a personal library of 800 manuscripts. Niccoli lent out multiple copies of several Classical texts with great generosity. This lending practice formed the basis for the public library at San Marco. His private collection was surpassed only by that of Cosimo himself. Cosimo established the first Florentine public library which became the largest in Europe at that time. He also collected ancient art, coins, medals, statuary, vases, and gems alongside books.
Niccoli regarded himself as an infallible critic who could not bear contradiction. His quarrels with Francesco Filelfo, Guarino da Verona, and Ambrogio Traversari caused great sensation. Critics claimed he knew very little Greek despite his assistance from Traversari. His hypercritical spirit prevented him from writing or speaking Latin effectively. Leonardo Bruni called him the censor of the Latin tongue instead. Many authors submitted their manuscripts to him before publication for correction.
He decided to vary his copied manuscripts using tilted lettering throughout. This enduring study of ancient manuscripts led to a new cursive script style. Italian printers later chose this specific lettering when they began using Italic type. The style is known today as Italic or Cancelleresca. Niccoli's handwritten copies demonstrated how text could flow more naturally on a page. Printers adopted his approach to make reading easier for the general public.
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Common questions
When was Niccolò de' Niccoli born and where did he live?
Niccolò de' Niccoli was born in Florence during the year 1364. He lived and died within the same city walls on the 22nd of January 1437.
What specific role did Niccolò de' Niccoli play in preserving ancient texts?
His chief service to literature involved correcting text and dividing chapters. Niccoli created tables of contents for these ancient manuscripts before they were published.
How did Cosimo de' Medici support the library efforts of Niccolò de' Niccoli?
Cosimo de' Medici provided the funds needed to build a personal library of 800 manuscripts. This lending practice formed the basis for the public library at San Marco.
Why did critics claim that Niccolò de' Niccoli knew very little Greek?
Critics claimed he knew very little Greek despite his assistance from Traversari. His hypercritical spirit prevented him from writing or speaking Latin effectively.
Which modern typeface style originated from the handwriting of Niccolò de' Niccoli?
This enduring study of ancient manuscripts led to a new cursive script style known today as Italic or Cancelleresca. Italian printers later chose this specific lettering when they began using Italic type.