Philippo Buonanni

Philippo Buonanni or Bonanni (January 7th 1638, Rome - March 30th 1725, Rome) is a Jésuite, a Scientifique and a Italian collector .

He is the pupil of Athanasius Kircher (about 1601-1680) in Collegio Romano of Rome. He enters to the Society of Jesus in 1654. He succeeds Kircher dead of this one.

Shells

Buonanni is a collector of Coquillage S and is the author of the first book only devoted to these animals. It is made appear in Rome in 1681 Ricreatione dell' occhio E beyond lies… which contains very many illustrations of shells which, although reversed, were retained by Carl von Linné. But its knowledge on the anatomy of the Mollusque S is rather reduced just like its classification less right than that of Aristote. Even if it brings little new knowledge and reproduced the legends hawked by the old authors, it defends the interest of the collections of shells near its contemporaries. It is interested in the question of the revolution of the shells like to the economic importance of these animals. Buonanni is an ecclesiastic without true scientific luggage nor experiment of ground. But its book is invaluable by the compilation of knowledge and the illustrations which it offers. It will be supplanted only by the studies on molluscs of Martin Lister (1639-1712).

The defense of the spontaneous generation

It fights against the adversaries of the spontaneous Generation, in particular Francesco Redi. For this purpose, it multiplies the observations made using a Microscope provided with three lenses which it builds itself. It tries to show, by fine observations, that the spontaneous generation is possible in the animals without blood and heart. It publishes in 1691, Observationes circa Viventia, quae in Rebus not Viventibus reperiuntur . The illustrations which illustrate its various work are excellent and prove the quality of its observations.

The cabinet of curiosities of Kircher

It publishes a catalog of the Cabinet of curiosities of Kircher lodged by Collegio Romano of which he is the conservative since 1698: Musaeum Kircherianum, sive Musaeum has P.A. Krichero in Collegio Romano Societatis Jesu… descriptum etc (1709, Rome).

Medals and currencies

It is also a collector of medals and currencies on which it publishes several works.

Works

Gabinetto armonico (1723, Engl. transl. in 1964: Ancient Musical Instruments and to their Players ), Dover Publications, New York. This book is a remarkable documentary source on the old music.
Micrographia Curiosa (1691)
Numismata Pontificum Romanorum (1699)

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