Libro di me, Gio Batta Gussetti. The Tale of a Man through the Story of a Book

Abstract

As a museographer or museum curator, there is often great professional satisfaction in finding the stories behind the fascinating objects preserved in museum collections. These objects not only have remarkable aesthetic qualities but also reflect incredible life stories. This study focuses on examining a book part of the History of Pharmacy Collection in the National Museum of Transylvanian History. Apart from its age, being published in 1596, our attention was drawn to the texts inscribed on the cover and pages of the book. The repeated annotations of a man from the seventeenth century, Giovanni Battista Gussetti, declaring his ownership over this book aroused our curiosity. The article seeks to understand the book’s significance in the life of Gussetti and decipher what these inscriptions disclose about the owner and the historical context in which he lived. The research has been very rewarding, revealing a whole micro‑universe in which Gussetti, the owner, played his part. Throughout the following pages, we aim to provide a concise overview of the history of the pharmaceutical book collection and introduce the background of this particular book. We intend to explore some possibilities of identification of Giovanni Battista Gussetti, as far as our research has allowed, and the historical context of his activity to provide a broader understanding of the book’s significance.