Mapping Petrarch in Seventeenth-century Italian Travel Writing

Abstract

Through a brief overview of seventeenth-century Italian travel writing, this article highlights the significant Petrarchan presence in this corpus. Petrarchan elements, from quotes of the Canzoniere to references to the poet-wanderer, are found in accounts that vary greatly in terms of itinerary, narrative style, and the author’s reasons for traveling. For some Italian travelers, Petrarch is a fundamental point of reference in creating an authoritative “Italian” travel narrative, both in terms of literary echoes and in representing the traveler-narrator.