ACCADEMIA NAZIONALE DEI LINCEI
Lincei emblem,
Rome, Biblioteca
dell'Accademia
Nazionale dei Lincei
e Corsiniana
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HISTORY
The foundation
of the Academy
The Accademia dei Lincei was
founded in Rome on 17 August 1603
by Prince Federico Cesi and
three other young scholars:
Johannes van Heeck, Francesco
Stelluti and Count Anastasio De
Filiis. The arms and the name
Lyncei arose from their love of
science and the desire to see into the
secrets of nature with a perception
as acute as that of the lynx.
Pietro Fachetti , Portrait of Federico Cesi,
Rome, Palazzo Corsini, Sala delle Scienze Fisiche
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The Albo Linceo
This is the first document of the
Sapientiae Cupidi,
Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
new society, in which the fellows
of the Academy were registered.
It contains the Lincei coat of arms
(the lynx with the laurel branches
and Federico Cesi’s family coronet);
an image of Saint John the
Evangelist, chosen as protector of
the Lincei, with the motto
Sapientiae Cupidi; and the
Proponimento Linceo, the first
expression of their commitment to
serve the human Knowledge,
together with the fellows’
signatures.
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The Lynceographum
This was the fundamental document
of the Academy, in which Federico
Cesi and the first Lincei solemnly set
out their purpose and ideals of life
and study and the aim of the new
institution: «Finis eius est rerum
cognitionem et sapientiam non solum
acquirere (...) sed et hominibus voce et
scriptis (...) pacifice pandere».
Portrait of
Francesco
Stelluti,
Fabriano,
Town Hall
Lynceographum quo norma studiosae vitae […], 1605,
Rome, Biblioteca dell'Accademia Nazionale
dei Lincei e Corsiniana
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The Academy advances
Overcoming the harsh opposition of Federico‘s father, the Duke of Acquasparta, such as
the attacks by the Church, the Academy
survived, increased its activities and gained
new members in Italy and abroad.
Giambattista Della Porta (1538-1615),
philosopher, scientist and playwriter,
represented the passage from the alchemicalesoteric culture of the XVI and XVII
centuries to the ideas of the Lincei, based
upon experimental research and close
observation of Nature.
Galileo Galilei, who became a member in
1611, published Istoria e dimostrazioni
intorno alle macchie solari (1613) and Il
Saggiatore (1623) with the support of the
Academy. He was the promoter of the «new
science».
Portrait of Galileo, copy from the original by
J. Suttermans, Rome, Palazzo Corsini,
Sala delle Scienze Fisiche
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The first scientific works
J. van Heeck, Fructus itineris
ad Septentrionales,
Montpellier, Bibliothèque de
l'Ecole de Médecine, 1603-05,
Drawings of butterflies
G. Galilei, Istoria e dimostrazioni intorno alle
macchie solari […], In Roma, appresso Giacomo
Mascardi, 1613, Rome, Biblioteca dell’Accademia
Nazionale dei Lincei e Corsiniana
G. Galilei, Il Saggiatore […], In Roma,
appresso Giacomo Mascardi, 1623,
Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale
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The end of the first Lincei
The princeps and animating power of the
Academy, Federico Cesi, died in 1630 at the age
of 45. Under harsh criticism by the Jesuits
because of its support of Galileo’s
endorsement of the Copernican theory,
officially condemned, and no longer under the
protection of Pope Urban VII, the Academy
found itself in great difficulty. The Academy
effectively died with its founder in spite of the
efforts made by Cassiano Dal Pozzo, Francesco
Stelluti and others who were loyal to Cesi's
memory and ideals. In 1651 Rerum Medicarum
Novae Hispaniae Thesaurus, a well illustrated
paper on the Mexican flora and fauna, was
published as the latest witness of the work of
the Lincei.
Rerum Medicaruma Novae Hispaniae Thesaurus […], 1651,
Rome, Biblioteca dell'Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei e Corsiniana
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The three restorations
of the Academy
Between the XVIII and XIX centuries
there were various attempts to revive
the Academy, carried out by Giovanni
Paolo Simone Bianchi, a physician
from Rimini, in 1745 for a few years;
by Gioacchino Pessuti and Feliciano
Scarpellini in 1795, under the auspices
of Francesco Caetani, Duke of
Sermoneta, up until the death of
Scarpellini in 1840; by Pope Pius IX,
who instituted the “Accademia
Pontificia dei Nuovi Lincei” in 1847.
Bust of Feliciano Scarpellini,
Rome, Palazzo Corsini
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The Lincei as the national academy of Italy
In 1870 Rome became the capital of the
Quintino Sella
Kingdom of Italy and the Academy was
renamed the «Reale Accademia dei
Lincei». Quintino Sella, an eminent
scientist and politician, was the promoter
and leader of the newly restored Lincei as
President of the Academy from 1874 until
his death in 1884. In this period the Lincei
was given its new Statutes and assumed
its character as the national academy of
the new State. Moreover, membership
was extended to foreign scholars, the
Class of Humanities was introduced, and,
in 1884, the Lincei had their new
headquarters in Palazzo Corsini.
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Fascism and the
post-war period
In the early Fascist period the
Academy adopted an indipendent and
critical attitude that caused the
hostility of the regime. In 1934 the
new Statutes put the Academy under
governmental control and finally, in
1939, the «Accademia d’Italia»,
instituted by the regime in 1926,
annexed and suppressed the Lincei.
In 1944, on the initiative of the
philosopher Benedetto Croce, the new
Italian Government abolished the
Accademia d’Italia and reinstated the
Lincei Academy.
Benedetto Croce
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In accordance with its
Statutes, the aim of the
Accademia Nazionale dei
Lincei is to «promote, coordinate, integrate and
spread scientific knowledge
in its highest expressions, in
the unity and universality
of culture».
ACTIVITIES
LINCEI
The Academy organises national
and international congresses,
conferences, meetings and seminars.
It promotes and carries out research
activities and scientific missions,
awards prizes and study grants,
publishes Notes and Memoirs of its
meetings and conference
proceedings.
Aims and mission
The Lincei Academy maintains several exchange agreements with
other foreign national academies. It represents Italy in the
International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly
Societies; in the InterAcademy Panel on International Issues (IAP); in
the InterAcademy Medical Panel (IAMP); in the All European
Academies network (ALLEA); in the European Academies Science
Advisory Council (EASAC).
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The Classes
1875 the Lincei include both Sciences and Humanities. The
Academy is divided into two Classes: «Physical, Mathematical and
Natural Sciences» and «Moral, Historical and Philological Sciences» and
each Class is subdivided into Categories.
Palazzo Corsini, Sala delle Scienze Fisiche
Palazzo Corsini, Sala delle Scienze Morali
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The Organs
 the President, or the Vice
President in his/her stead
 the Academic Administrator,
or the Assistant Academic
Administrator in his/her stead
 the President’s Council
 the Assembly of the two
Classes
 the Assembly of each Class in
its competent fields
 the College of Auditors
 the Chancellor (General
Director)
Palazzo Corsini, Sala della Presidenza
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Palazzo Corsini
SEAT
The seat of the Academy is
Palazzo Corsini in Via della
Lungara, at the foot of the
Gianicolo hill, in the heart
of old Trastevere.
Palazzo Corsini, back garden
Palazzo Corsini, façade on Via della Lungara
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Palazzo Corsini
Palazzo Corsini originates
from the XVI century Palazzo
Riario, which had been the
residence of Queen Christina
of Sweden, purchased in 1736
by the noble family Corsini
and redesigned by the
architect Ferdinando Fuga.
From the entrance hall, two
wide staircases lead up to the
first and second floors.
Palazzo Corsini, entrance hall
SEAT
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Palazzo Corsini
On the first floor are the
Library, an important part of
the Academy, with its rich
collection of antique and
contemporary works, and the
Galleria Corsini, one of the
most important art galleries
in Rome.
Palazzo Corsini, from the hall of the first floor
up to the second floor balcony
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Palazzo Corsini
The Library
The Library of the Academy is
composed of three main
sections: the Sezione Corsiniana,
donated by Prince Tommaso
Corsini in 1883; the Sezione
Accademica, formed in 1848
through donations by various
fellows; the Sezione Orientale,
constituted in 1924 by Prince
Leone Caetani and specializing
in Arabian-Islamic culture.
Palazzo Corsini, Biblioteca dell’Accademia
Nazionale dei Lincei e Corsiniana, Reading Room
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Palazzo Corsini
A series of imposing rooms
are situated on the second floor,
among which: the conference
rooms of the two Classes of the
Academy, the Sala Impero, the
Sala dei Divani, the Alcove, the
Tapestry room, and the Sala
Dutuit (which contains
valuable collections of
porcelain and other works of
art, mainly from the Orient).
The Offices of the Academy are
also on this floor.
Palazzo Corsini, second floor entrance hall
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Palazzo Corsini
Palazzo Corsini, Sala dei Divani
Palazzo Corsini, Sala dell’Alcova
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Palazzo Corsini
Palazzo Corsini, Sala Dutuit
Palazzo Corsini, Sala degli Arazzi
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Villa Farnesina
On Via della Lungara, opposite
Palazzo Corsini, the Villa Farnesina,
completed by the renowned architect
Baldassarre Peruzzi in 1509, is set in the
midst of a beautiful garden. Acquired
by the rich Sienese banker Agostino
Chigi, the villa was then purchased by
Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (from
whom it takes its name) in 1577 and,
after various owners throughout the
centuries, it was bought by the Italian
State in 1928 as headquarters of the
Accademia d’Italia. When this was
suppressed in 1944, the villa became
the property of the reinstated
Accademia dei Lincei.
Villa Farnesina, North façade
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Villa Farnesina
The Villa is a wonderful example of Renaissance art and architecture,
decorated by such famous painters as Raphael, Sebastiano del Piombo,
Giovanni Antonio Bazzi (called Sodoma), Giulio Romano and Baldassarre
Peruzzi himself.
G. A. Bazzi (Sodoma),
The Wedding of Alexander
and Roxane, Villa Farnesina,
The Wedding Room
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Villa Farnesina
On the ground floor of the Villa an
entrance hall leads to the Loggia of
Psyche, frescoed by Raphael and his
pupils Giulio Romano, Francesco
Penni, Raffaellino del Colle and
Giovanni da Udine with episodes of
the story of Eros and Psyche as
narrated by Apuleius in the
Metamorphosis.
On the left of the Loggia of Psyche is
the Frieze Room, around which is a
fresco of mythological scenes by
Baldassarre Peruzzi.
Loggia of Psyche,
Villa Farnesina
SEAT
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Villa Farnesina
On the right
side of the Villa
is the Hall of
Galatea,
decorated with
fine paintings of
mythological
themes, among
which Raphael’s
famous fresco
representing
the triumph of
the nymph
Galatea.
Hall of Galatea, Villa Farnesina
Raphael, The Triumph of Galatea,
Villa Farnesina
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Villa Farnesina
On the first floor is the Salone delle Prospettive, designed by Peruzzi in
trompe l’oeil which gives the viewer the illusion of looking outside through
the painted columns.
Baldassarre Peruzzi,
The Hall of the Perspectives,
Villa Farnesina
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Villa Farnesina
The building is surrounded by a beautiful
garden of bergamot trees, Lebanese cedars,
cypresses, laurel bushes and evergreens.
Next to a XIX century fountain in the
southern part of the garden, set against a
stretch of the ancient Aurelian Walls, one can
see a marble plaque (probably XVII century)
which bears the inscription: Quisquis huc
accedis: quod tibi horridum videtur mihi
amoenum est; si placet, maneas, si taedet
abeas, utrumque gratum («Whoever enters
here: what seems horrid to you is pleasant to
me. If you like it, stay, if it bores you, go
away; both are equally pleasing to me»).
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Further information is available on the Lincei Academy website at
www.lincei.it
and on the website of the Committee for the IV Centenary Celebrations at
www.lincei-celebrazioni.it