Revealing and Concealing: Piccolomini’s Nickname and Imprese

From the fifteenth century onwards, the men and women of the educated European élite often turned to the visual and literary conceits of the impresa and emblem as a means for communicating those ideas, desires and aspirations that they wished to express to their closest colleagues, but keep hidden from all but those who were initiated members of their immediate social circle. There are four main devices of this sort that can be associated with Alessandro Piccolomini—the earliest of which is the nickname that was assigned to him upon his entry to the Accademia degli Intronati and which was used as his moniker in any work published by him or his fellow Intronati. Beyond this, however, he appears to have relied upon three additional imprese to signify his authorship, ownership or association. The following chapter explores the manner in which the quasi-secretive nature of the impresa and emblem can be exploited to various ends—both to reveal and conceal the intentions of whomever employs it.