‘He belonged to Europe’: Francesco Algarotti (1712-1764) and his European networks

Cheryl Smeall

In what can be described as a reverse Grand Tour, Francesco Algarotti (1712-1764) travelled to and lived in a stunning number of places, including Venice, Bologna, Padua, Florence, Rome, Paris, London, St Petersburg, Berlin and Dresden. Described posthumously by Voltaire as having ‘belonged to Europe’, Algarotti made use of his travels and his authorship of Il Newtonianismo per le dame to establish and expand his networks, keeping in touch with his contacts through correspondence as he moved from city to city. An analysis of Algarotti’s correspondence and correspondents reveals how this Venetian made a name for himself across Europe.