Accademia degli Investiganti

Accademia degli Investiganti =
Accademia degl' Investiganti =
Academia Indagatrix =
Academy of the Investigators

Founding of the Society

Year Authority / Notes

1650 Maylender (1926-1930), v.3, p.367 indicates that the opinions of scholars on the founding date of the Accademia degli Investiganti were (in the 1920s when Maylender wrote this) varied and included dates of 1650, 1655, 1663 and 1669. Maylender gives greatest credence to the founding date of 1650 put forward by Camillo Minieri-Riccio. A date of 1663 is supported on p.526 of Fisch (1953).
According to Maylender (1926-1930), v.3, p.367, after the disbanding of the Roman Accademia dei Lincei in 1630, the centre of scientific study passed from Rome to Napoli and Florence, where two illustrious scientific societies carried on the tradition of the Lincei: the Accademia degli Investiganti (founded 1650 in Napoli) and the Accademia del Cimento (founded in 1657 in Florence).
Fisch (pp.521-526) indicates that the Accademia degli Investiganti arose in Naples out of the dispute between the"ancients" (those guided by the writing of the ancients) and the "moderns." (those favouring the new experimental method, or "new science").
Fisch (pp.526-537) discusses the formal organization of the Neapolitan moderns as the Accademia degli Investiganti in 1663, and its subsequent rivalry with an academy named the Discordanti (founded 1666), and the closing of the Accademia degli Investiganti in 1669 or (more likely) 1670. It is not clear whether the Investiganti were formally suppressed or not. Fisch (p.537) believes that, in any case, the creative energies of the Investiganti were spent by then.
From 1670 to 1683 there were informal private gatherings of individual members of the Investiganti (Fisch, pp.537-541).
Fisch (pp.541-546) points out that there was an increase in activity of individual members of the Investiganti between 1683 and 1697, although there is no evidence of a formal revival of the Accademia.
Finally, the Accademia degli Investiganti was revived briefly from 1735 to 1737 (Fisch (pp.549-550).
There is no indication that Accademia degli Investiganti ever published a journal.
Finally, it should be noted that although Maylender (1926-1930), v.3, p.367 gives the name of the Academy as the Accademia degli Investiganti, the name appears as Accademia degl' Investiganti on a 1735 title-page reproduced as Fig.6 of Plate L (falling between pp.550 and 551) of Fisch. In addition, in footnote 32 (p.526) of the Fisch article, the Academy is referred to in 1670 by a Latin name, Academia Indagatrix.

Seat of the Society

City Authority / Notes

Naples
Italy This location is supported by pp.526-537 of Fisch.

Name of the Society

Dates Name Authority

1650 - 1669 or 1670;
1735 - 1737 Accademia degli Investiganti The Carulli 1737 reference on p.556 of the bibliography of Fisch.

Accademia degli Investiganti = Accademia degl' Investiganti = Academia Indagatrix = Academy of the Investigators
Founding of the Society
Year	Authority / Notes
1650	Maylender (1926-1930), v.3, p.367 indicates that the opinions of scholars on the founding date of the Accademia degli Investiganti were (in the 1920s when Maylender wrote this) varied and included dates of 1650, 1655, 1663 and 1669. Maylender gives greatest credence to the founding date of 1650 put forward by Camillo Minieri-Riccio. A date of 1663 is supported on p.526 of Fisch (1953). According to Maylender (1926-1930), v.3, p.367, after the disbanding of the Roman Accademia dei Lincei in 1630, the centre of scientific study passed from Rome to Napoli and Florence, where two illustrious scientific societies carried on the tradition of the Lincei: the Accademia degli Investiganti (founded 1650 in Napoli) and the Accademia del Cimento (founded in 1657 in Florence). Fisch (pp.521-526) indicates that the Accademia degli Investiganti arose in Naples out of the dispute between the"ancients" (those guided by the writing of the ancients) and the "moderns." (those favouring the new experimental method, or "new science"). Fisch (pp.526-537) discusses the formal organization of the Neapolitan moderns as the *Accademia degli Investiganti* in 1663, and its subsequent rivalry with an academy named the *Discordanti* (founded 1666), and the closing of the *Accademia degli Investiganti* in 1669 or (more likely) 1670. It is not clear whether the *Investiganti* were formally suppressed or not. Fisch (p.537) believes that, in any case, the creative energies of the *Investiganti* were spent by then. From 1670 to 1683 there were informal private gatherings of individual members of the *Investiganti* (Fisch, pp.537-541). Fisch (pp.541-546) points out that there was an increase in activity of individual members of the *Investiganti* between 1683 and 1697, although there is no evidence of a formal revival of the *Accademia. Finally, the Accademia degli Investiganti* was revived briefly from 1735 to 1737 (Fisch (pp.549-550). There is no indication that *Accademia degli Investiganti* ever published a journal. Finally, it should be noted that although Maylender (1926-1930), v.3, p.367 gives the name of the Academy as the Accademia degli Investiganti, the name appears as Accademia degl' Investiganti on a 1735 title-page reproduced as Fig.6 of Plate L (falling between pp.550 and 551) of Fisch. In addition, in footnote 32 (p.526) of the Fisch article, the Academy is referred to in 1670 by a Latin name, Academia Indagatrix.
Seat of the Society
City	Authority / Notes
Naples Italy	This location is supported by pp.526-537 of Fisch.
Name of the Society
Dates	Name	Authority
1650 - 1669 or 1670; 1735 - 1737	*Accademia degli Investiganti*	The Carulli 1737 reference on p.556 of the bibliography of Fisch.