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'The Mineral Silver' A. Neri, MS Ferguson 67 |
Conciatore is the title of my new book. It is about the
fascinating life and work of a man who lived four hundred years ago in Florence,
Italy. He was at the same
time an alchemist, a glassmaker and a Catholic priest. His name was Antonio
Neri and he worked for a prince from the Medici royal family. Neri is famously
known as the author of the first book devoted to the subject of making glass (L'Arte Vetraria, 1612). He
has often been considered a mysterious figure, steeped in the intrigues of
alchemy and transmutation. On the other hand, he put great store in careful
experimentation and research. As a contemporary of fellow Florentine Galileo
Galilei, he experienced both the germination of modern science and the waning
days of Aristotle’s four-elements. It was a time when art, religion, ancient
philosophy and the pursuit of Nature’s secrets all went hand-in-hand.
In late Renaissance Italy, the word conciatore was used to
describe the specialist who refined the ingredients for glass and formulated the
batch. In Neri’s case, this ranged from the celebrated Venetian style
‘cristallo’, to the swirling colors of ‘calcedonio’, to brilliant, sparkling imitation
gems. The book visits his family, his friends and his associates to form a
picture of a complex man, living in an extraordinary time.
After a decade researching Neri, I am anxious to share his story. I invite you to join me here, where on a regular
basis I will post details of his life, his work and his philosophy. I hope to
draw you into his world, and perhaps convince you that in many ways, his time
was not so different from ours.
[ Posts Begin on 1 August 2013 - Watch This Space.]