Not (Only) a Muse: A Portrait of Barbera, Formerly Known as Barbara Salutati1

The virtuosa, poet, and courtesan Barbera (b. 1500), widely but erroneously known as Barbara Salutati, is most often remembered for her association with the Florentine politician and writer Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527), who grew attached to her during the last years of his life. Even though Machi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Sixteenth century journal Vol. 55; no. 1-2; pp. 305 - 326
Main Author Antonini, Claudia
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Chicago University of Chicago Press 01.04.2024
Subjects
16th century
Barbera (1500-?)
Biographies
Cultural studies
Machiavelli, Niccolo (1469-1527)
Poets
Prostitution
Renaissance period
Singers
Society
Florence Italy
Rome Italy
Italy
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Summary:The virtuosa, poet, and courtesan Barbera (b. 1500), widely but erroneously known as Barbara Salutati, is most often remembered for her association with the Florentine politician and writer Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527), who grew attached to her during the last years of his life. Even though Machiavellian scholarship tends to depict Barbera as a passive figure, this article aims to foster appreciation of the active ways in which she as well as other comparable figures participated in the cultural life of sixteenth-century Florence. The initial section of the article offers the first sustained attempt to reconstruct Barbera’s biography, network of social contacts, and activities as a virtuosa and a poet. The second complements this reconstruction by analyzing Barbera’s engagement with poetry. Finally, the third section contextualizes Barbera’s case study in relation to the profiles of other virtuose and courtesans to articulate some of the social scenarios and cultural practices through which these women participated in the musical and literary sociability of their day.
ISSN:0361-0160
2326-0726
DOI:10.1086/731065