Le alterne fortune della chiromanzia nel Rinascimento. Appunti su un capitolo di aristotelismo eterodosso

This paper provides new material that sheds light on the theme of chiromancy during the Renaissance. Far from being regarded with today’s scepticism, chiromancy was a form of divination regularly practised by physicians, debated in universities, and requested by men of power. Beginning with a description of the poor state-of-the-art regarding this matter, even including cases of mistaken identity, the paper presents the results of the first survey on this theme. The origin of divination through hand-reading and the Renaissance fortune of pseudo-Aristotelian treatises on chiromancy and physiognomy are tackled, as well as a presentation of the main figures involved in the debate: Alessandro Achillini, Girolamo Manfredi, Bartolomeo della Rocca ‘Cocles’, Andrea Corvo, Antioco Tiberti, Patrizio Tricasso. Finally, the paper explores the great success of chiromancy between the 15th and the 16th century and its survival after Church censorship, and forecasts a future census of chiromantic texts.