Exploring Nature with Passion and Curiosity in Early Modern Times

Mitschnitt des Donnerstagabends im Museum vom 17. April 2025, Bassano Saal Kunsthistorisches Museum Sabrina Minuzzi, University of Udine How did early agricultural texts shape our relationship to nature? And how did the study of medicinal plants take a different path? The lecture will trace the origins and flourishing of agronomic literature, exploring its development alongside the production of illustrated texts on ‘materia medica’ (i.e. mainly herbals) and the Tacuina sanitatis. While agronomy paved the way for intensive exploitation of nature, the study of materia medica was primarily driven by inquiry and curiosity, rooted in a spirit of gratuitous exploration. A selection of examples from both manuscript and printed herbals will illustrate how the disinterested pursuit of knowledge about the medicinal and pharmaceutical properties of plants and herbs engaged not only professionals – such as apothecaries and physicians – but also laypeople, lesser-known and marginal figures who nonetheless played a significant role in advancing botanical knowledge. Sabrina Minuzzi delves into this compelling topic and provides a deeper exploration of the special exhibition „Arcimboldo – Bassano – Bruegel. Nature's Time“, on view at the Kunsthistorisches Museum until June 29, 2025!