Maddalena (1673–1744) and Teresa (1679–1767) Manfredi

Abstract

Maddalena and Teresa were two sisters of a petty bourgeoisie family of Bologna, Italy. The former was born in 1673 and her sister 6 years later, in 1679. Although their father, Alfonso Manfredi, was a notary, the family was not at ease in supporting all its members, so their mother Anna Maria Fiorini sent three of the four brothers at the University of Bologna for their studies, while the education of the daughters ended up in a convent of tertiary nuns. Maddalena and Teresa learned Astronomy, Mathematics and Latin within the family and the circle of friends who frequented their house. One of the brothers, Eustachio Manfredi (1674–1739), became a public reader of mathematics at the University of Bologna, and from university professor 1699. He was a distinguished scientist and astronomer, and thanks to him the private education of the sisters enjoyed a close contact with the brothers and their writers and scientists friends. Eustachio was an advocate of an eclectic culture and in his own house, together with his friends, he encouraged conversations on different topics such as history, literature, and experimental physics.It was from these, so to speak, “homemade meetings” that Eustachio founded, just 16 years old, the Accademia degli Inquieti, literally “Academy of the Restless,” devoted to literature and experimental sciences. This cultural circle aimed to connect with the European culture, and in the future it marked a turning point for the study and research of the University of Bologna. Among their distinguished guests of the family one can find the physician Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1682–1771), the poet Pier Jacopo Martello (1665–1727), the poet and naturalist Ferdinand Antonio Ghedini (1684–1768) and the philosopher Francesco Maria Zanotti (1692–1777), the physicist Francesco Algarotti (1712–1765) and many others. A particular bond of commonality linked the Manfredis to the family of the painter and art historian Giampietro Zanotti (1675–1765) and his daughters Maria Teresa and Angiola Anna Maria. With the exception of the youngest brother Emilio, the only one who did not attend University to became a Jesuit, the other brothers had not much different fortunes: both studied medicine, and Gabriele (1681–1761) studied medicine becaming a lecturer of Mathematics and author of famous works on differential calculus, while Heraclitus (1682–1759) after his was first appointed as honorary lecturer of Astronomy and then professor of Hydrometry.

Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas. (Marie Sklodowska Curie)