Il silenzio di Paolo Sarpi. Modi della comunicazione nella prima età moderna

The article studies the communication channels in early seventeenth-century Venice, examining the paradigmatic case of Paolo Sarpi. After the Interdict (1606-1607) Sarpi decided to leave most of his works unpublished and turn to other means to make his voice heard. In particular, he used private correspondence, networks of friends and scholars, manuscripts, and a wide range of different genres. On the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Sarpi’s death, the article intends to survey previous studies in order to shed new light on the alleged silence of the Venetian friar, focusing on the relationship between propaganda, historical writing and governmental discourse.