Leonardo Quirini

Leonardo Quirini (Italian pronunciation: [leoˈnardo kwiˈriːni]; 17th century) was an Italian nobleman and Marinist poet.

Leonardo Quirini
Portrait of Leonardo Quirini. From the book "Le glorie degli Incogniti", 1647
Born	Venice, Republic of Venice
Died	Venice, Republic of Venice
Occupation	Poet
Father	Matteo Quirini
Family	Querini
Writing career
Language	Italian
Period	Seicento
Genres	Poetry
Literary movement	Marinism Baroque
Notable works	Vezzi d’Erato

Biography

Leonardo Quirini was born into a Venetian patrician family.^[1] He was educated by the Somaschi Fathers. A friend of Giovanni Francesco Loredan he was a member of the Accademia degli Incogniti. He wrote madrigals on amorous themes, which tread a cautious path between Torquato Tasso and Giambattista Marino.^[2] His poetry is influenced by the work of Chiabrera and the classicists.^[3] His verse collection was published in 1649 with the title Vezzi d'Erato. It includes an idyll, Il Narciso, already published in Venice in 1612. The book was illustrated with a frontispiece by Luciano Borzone. Quirini was a friend of the painter Tiberio Tinelli. He composed a poem on a portrait that Tinelli had made of him. Many of his lyrics are included in Benedetto Croce's influential anthology of Baroque poetry.^[4]

Works

• Il Narciso. Idillio. Venice: Trivisan Bertolotti. 1612.
• Vezzi d'Erato, poesie liriche (2nd ed.). Venice: Giovan Giacomo Hertz. 1653 [1649].