1764day.year
Francesco Algarotti
(1712 - 1764)
Italian philosopher, poet, and critic
Italian philosopher
poet
and critic
Francesco Algarotti was an Italian Enlightenment philosopher, art critic, and poet who made scientific ideas accessible.
Born in Venice in 1712, he was educated by the Jesuits and developed wide-ranging interests in art, science, and literature.
A close friend of Frederick the Great, he served as his art advisor and helped assemble the Prussian royal collection.
He authored 'Newtonianism for Ladies', a popular work that explained complex scientific concepts with clarity.
As an art critic, he championed Neoclassicism and wrote extensively on painting and sculpture.
His poetic works blended classical forms with Enlightenment ideals of reason and nature.
He traveled across Europe, engaging with leading intellectuals before his death in 1764.
1764
Francesco Algarotti