Sperimentazione sugli animali. Il caso della pratica degli incroci

none1noThe crosses between different animal species are well present in the ancient naturalistic literature. Patristic and early medieval culture (until the 12th century) shows resistance to these possibilities of nature. In the 13th century, zoological knowledge is perfected, both thanks to practical experiences and thanks to the spread of the naturalistic works of Aristotle (also by means of the great encyclopedias), thus the attention to the generation of animals is reborn. A new category of intellectuals asserts itself once veterinary knowledge is transmitted by written texts. In the XIV-XV century in Italy (in particular in Mantua) the experimentation on animals is intensely practiced to obtain crosses; it corresponds to practical needs and economic strategies but also to an intellectual awareness, where possibilities of ars and truth overlap. The experiments conducted mainly concern animals that have a decisive role in social life (dogs and horses in particular), but several species are also involved in the phenomenon. Between the 15th and 16th centuries, iconography documents the cultural awareness associated with the practice of crossing animals.embargoed_20250101Francesco SantiFrancesco Sant