An Esoteric Education: Vespasiano Gonzaga's private library,

Vespasiano Gonzaga, first and last Duke of Sabbioneta, built his small ideal city between 1554 to 1590. One of his ambitious projects being for his Duchy to become a “cathedral of learning”, he provided it with schools and a public library. He also owned a private library which reflected his own leanings and needs and represented the coeval trend of aristocratic education, increasingly interested in science, to the detriment of literature and, in particular, theological matters. The article investigates along these lines, presenting Vespasiano Gonzaga’s scientifical books.