Leonardo e la taranta

The presence of the "tarantula" (taranta) in Leonardo da Vinci's writings, more precisely in his "bestiary", was noted for the first time by Ernesto De Martino in "La terra del rimorso" (1961). However, the anthropologist had not been able to identify the source of the quotation, which is fully reproduced in this essay. After framing the phenomenon in the culture of the time, with appropriate references to De Ardoynis, Ponzetti and Antonio De Ferrariis Galateo, the author focuses on Leon Battista Alberti, anticipator of Leonardo and possible secondary source his as being informed on the subject. The inclusion of two 20th century classics, Italo Calvino and Thomas Mann, draws its justification on the literary level as a key to the complexity of Leonardo's thought.