Between vita activa and vita contemplativa

Letters went viral in early modern Italy, with politics and social interaction, artistic inspiration as well as spirituality and philosophy all hinging on ingenious epistolary cultures. Correspondence fashioned intellectuals and networks, constructed thoughts and schemes, provided a stage for politics and the arts, reflected on existential questions and professional activities. It involved not only writing, but diplomacy, praying, painting, composing, and other forms of artistic expression. And ...