Acta Nuntiaturae Polonae
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ACTA NUNTIATURAE POLONAE ACADEMIA SCIENTIARUM ET LITTERARUM POLONA SUMPTIBUS FUNDATIONIS LANCKOROŃSKI ACTA NUNTIATURAE POLONAE TOMUS LII ANGELUS MARIA DURINI (1767-1772) * Volumen 1 (12 IV 1766 – 20 IV 1768) edidit WOJCIECH KĘDER CRACOVIAE 2016 CONSILIUM EORUM, QUI EDITORIBUS ACTORUM NUNTIATURAE POLONAE SUADENT: Marco Jačov, Ioannes Kopiec, Iosephus Korpanty, Vanda Lohman, Marius Markiewicz, Anna Michalewicz (secretarius), Stanislaus Wilk, Georgius Wyrozumski (praeses) Volumen hoc edendum curavit Vanda Lohman Summaria, studia et fontes auxiliarii in linguam Anglorum vertit Petrus Pieńkowski Indicem confecit Krzysztof W. Zięba Textum ad imprimendum composuit MKBB © Copyright by Polska Akademia Umiejętności Kraków 2016 ISBN 978-83-7676-259-3 LIST OF CONTENTS Introduction .................................................. VII I. Angelo Maria Durini’s early years in Rome and in France ............................................ VII II. Angelo Maria Durini in Warsaw ........................... X III. Angelo Maria Durini in Avignon and in Lombardy ........................................ XXVI Sources of Angelo Maria Durini’s Nunciature .................... XXIX Index of sources published in present volume .................... XXXIII Works which contain Angelo Maria Durini’s letters and documents ........................................... XXXV Primary and secondary sources ................................. XXXVII Index of notas ................................................. XLV TEXT ........................................................ 1 Index of names and places ...................................... 383 INTRODUCTION I. Angelo Maria Durini’s early years in Rome and in France 1. The Durini family of Como Angelo Maria Durini came from the family living in Lombardy and known already in the Middle Ages. Lazzaro de Durino, who apparently lived in the vicinity of the town of Moltrasio at Como Lake at the beginning of the 15th century, can be considered the family founder. In the seventies of the 15th century his son Teobaldo moved to Como with his children. The family prospered under Gian Giacomo Durini (1573–1639 or 1640), who became a successful silk trader and eventually a banker. It was him who purchased an estate in Monza, thus acquiring the title of a count, which was confirmed by King Philip V of Spain in 1651. This entrenched the family position in the Milan patriciate1. Bearing the newly bestowed rank of a count, the Durini family mainta- ined their prestige and strove for respect of their peers. At the same time they actively embraced art and culture, quite characteristically for Milan elites. Thus the family considered it very important to possess estates commensu- rate with their social standing and put much effort into hiring best architects, who in their work could give justice to the family status. The family main and most prestigious residence was Palazzo Durini, a Baroque palace built in Milan in the middle of the 17th century, designed by Francesco Maria Richini. The palace was commissioned by Giovan Battista (1612–1676), Gian Giacomo’s oldest son and the founder of the main family branch2. 1 N. Raponi, Durini Angelo Maria, in: DBI, vol. 42, Roma 1995, pp. 195–200; G. Moroni, Dizionario di erudizione Storico-Ecclesiastica da S. Pietro sino ai nostri giorni…, vol. 20, Roma 1843, p. 306; F. Calvi, „Durini”, in: Famiglie notabili milanesi. Ceni storici e genealogici, vol. I, Milano 1875, pp. 1–3; C. Cremonini, Breve storia Della famiglia Durini, banchieri milanesi, Conti di Monza, tra Mercatora nobilità, e interessi culturali, in: Le ville Mirabello e Marabellino nel Parco Reale di Monza,a cura de F. de Giacomi, Monza 2006, pp. 12–36. 2 W. Kęder, „Kardynał Angelo Maria Durini – dyplomata, poeta, mecenas. Między Italią, Polską i Francją” [Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini – Dyplomat, Poet and Patron. Between Italy, Poland and France], pp. 33–35, in: Europejski wiek osiemnasty. Uniwer- salizm myśli, różnorodność dróg [The 18th Century in Europe. Universal Ideas, Different Paths], M. Dębowski, A. Grześkowiak-Krwawicz, M. Zwierzykowski (eds.), Kraków VIII Bearing the title of the count of Monza, the Durini family made an effort to build two residences in the town of Monza, which would testify to their high social standing. They were Villa Mirabello and Villa Mirabellino built in the town park. Villa Mirabello, an outstanding example of Baroque archi- tecture, was founded by Giuseppe Durini, who received the title of a count in 1648. At the end of the 18th century the villa, rebuilt and redecorated by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini, boasted an excellent library and became a center of Monza intellectual life, drawing local artists and writers, among whom a frequent guest was Giuseppe Parini. Another family residence in Monza was Villa Mirabellino, commissioned by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini and designed by Giulio Galliore. It served the cardinal as a place where he could write and meet prominent representa- tives of Lombardy culture of the second half of the 18th century. Still another residence was the spectacular Villa Cazzola, designed by Pellegrino Tebaldi, St.Charles Borromeo’s architect, for Cazzola counts. In the 18th century the villa served the Durini family as a summer residence, especially useful in the hunting season, which the area was famous for. The Durini family not only built superb residences, which even today are considered jewels of Lombardy, if not Italian architecture, but also took care to make them lively centres of culture and art, drawing luminaries of the time. Among those on friendly terms with the family, and especially with Carlo Du- rini, were outstanding representatives of the families of northern Italy, such as, among others, Prospero Lambertini of Bologna, the later Pope Benedict XIV, or Carlo Rezzonico (Clemens XIII) of Venice. The tradition was suc- cessfully continued by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini, in Monza as well as in Como, where his Villa Balbianello at Como Lake became at the end of the 18th century one of the most important centres of culture not only in Lombardy but also in the whole of Italy. Being the social elite of Lombardy, the Durini fa- mily developed close relationships with representatives of Italian noblemen, also from outside of Lombardy. Among them were future popes, like Benedict XIV and Clemens XIII, as well as many dignitaries of the Roman Curia. 2. Angelo Maria Durini shining in Rome and Paris Angelo Maria Durini was born in Milan in May 24, 1725. His father was Count Giuseppe Durini and his mother Constanza Barbavara3. The young Durini was carefully educated to reflect his social rank and family ambitions. As a young man he studied the arts with the Barnabites at St. Alexander College. Upon graduation he left for Rome, where his paternal uncle Carlo 2013; C. Baroni, Documenti per la storia dell’Architettura a Milano nel Rinascimento e nel Barocco, Roma 1968, pp. 394–397; R. Calzini, R. Portaluppi, Il Palazzo e la Fami- glia Durini in due secoli di vita Milanese 1648–1848, Milano 1923, p. 38. 3 Angelo Maria Durini, cardinale umanista; nel secondo centenario della morte 1796–1996. Atti del Convegno, Lenno, 15 maggio 1996, Biblioteca Comunale Vittorio Antonini, N. 1. IX Francesco Durini furthered his career at the Roman Curia under Benedict XIV, a friend to the Durini family. Under his uncle’s guidance Angelo Maria studied theology and law at Collegio Romano and enjoyed life in the Eternal City, which at that time and thanks to Benedict XIV, who was an outstanding intellectual, was not only the world capitol of Christianity but also an important centre of culture and science. While studying in Milan and in Rome Angelo Maria not only read classics but also pursued his interests in literature and art. He began writing his own works in Latin and in Italian. His further career was related to that of his uncle Carlo Francesco Du- rini, favoured by Benedict XIV, at the Roman Curia. Between 1739–1744 Carlo Francesco was a papal nuncio in Switzerland4. In 1744 he received a prestigious nomination as a nuncio in Paris. He remained in Paris till 1753 and when he left for France he took along Angelo Maria, his young nephew5. While in France, Angelo Maria was very active. He not only continued his literary studies, but also read Latin and Greek – among other institutions he studied at a Jesuit college in Lyon. At the same time he took advantage of his uncle’s high social rank and pursued political and cultural elites of contemporary France. He made a favourable impression at the French co- urt, which paid dividends at later years. He also frequented literary salons, including that of Madame de Geoffrin, where among other personages one could meet the young Stanisław August Poniatowski. However, Durini did not meet the future Polish king at that time. Contrary to many lay and church dignitaries, he did not embrace fashionable libertinism and till the end of his life remained faithful to the Church. His relationships with luminaries of the French political and cultural life were so effective that when in 1753 Carlo Francesco Durini left the Apostolic Nunciature in France, Angelo Maria remained there as an internuncio and acted as such in the years 1753–54. At that time he developed new friend- ships and made new acquaintances, which he continued in subsequent years. Undoubtedly Angelo Maria’s experience gained at the French court resulted 4 Carlo Francesco Durini (1693–1769), Angelo Maria Durini’s uncle, governor of Spoleto, Benevent and the province of Campania, nuncio in Switzerland and France, the archbi shop of Pavia, nominated a cardinal by Benedict XIV in September 26, 1753, died in Milan in June 25 1769. In: F. Satta, Durini Carlo Francesco, in: DBI (Dizionario Bio- grafico degli Italiani), vol. 42, Roma 1993, pp. 203–206; G. Moroni, Dizionario di eru- dizione Storico-Ecclesiastica da S. Pietro sino ai nostri giorni…, vol. 20, Roma 1843, pp. 305–306; L. Cardella, Memoire storiche de’ cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, scritte da…, vol. 9, Roma 1797, pp. 43–44. 5 N. Raponi, Durini Angelo Maria, in: DBI, vol. 42, Roma 1995, pp.