Filippo Bonanni

Filippo Bonanni or Buonanni (1658-1723) was Italian Jesuit scholar, born in Rome. Among his many works of erudition are the two-volume "Numismata Pontificum Romanorum" in (1699), and the "Gabinetto Armonico" in 1723, a splendid collection of 150 engravings of musical instruments from around the world.

cientific work

Bonanni was an ecclesiastic without true scientific training or experience but he made excellent observations embodied in three works.

"Ricreatione dell' occhio e della mente."

Bonanni was a shell collector and was the author of the first book devoted solely to seashells, published in Rome in 1681. Several later Linnaean names were based on his illustrations. [ [http://www.ansp.org/museum/digital_collections/shells/bounanni.php Buonanni's Chiocciole (1681)] ]

"Observationes circa Viventia, quae in Rebus non Viventibus"

Using a three lens microscope Bonanni tried to show that spontaneous generation was possible in animals "without blood and a heart" in contradiction of Francesco Redi ’s experimental work. The compilation of knowledge and quality of illustrations made this an important work.

"Musaeum Kircherianum, sive Musaeum a P.A. Krichero in Collegio Romano Societatis Jesu... descriptum"

In 1698 Bonanni was appointed curator of the well-known cabinet of curiosities (collection of antiquities) gathered by Athanasius Kircher and lodged in the Jesuit Collegio Romano. He published a catalogue of the collection in 1709 in Rome.

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