Sollazzi degli studenti polacchi a Padova. Lettere poetiche di Hieronim Morsztyn a cavallo fra l’anno 1617 e 1618 come fonte della storia dei costumi

Abstract

Entertainments of Padua’s Polish community: Hieronim Morsztyn’s poetic letters from 1617/18 as a source for the history of customs This article is devoted to a collection of poetic letters written by Hieronim Morsztyn in Padua in late 1617 and early 1618. Their collegial tone and lack of self-censorship made them a unique source of the everyday life of Padua’s Polish community. Mentions of numerous libations, love affairs with virgos and married women, the use of courtesans and, finally, the pregnancy of one of them, all add up to a colourful picture of the social life of students and travellers visiting Padua and nearby Venice. Even the two letters concerning attendance at a public autopsy, which was carried out at the Pallazo del Bo by anatomy professor Adriaan van den Spieghel between 25 January and 19 February 1618, are focusing on an account of the dissection of male and female genitalia.