Susinno conoscitore tra storiografia e collezionismo

The contribution outlines the profile of Francesco Susinno as a connoisseur both through the analysis of the manuscript Le vite de’ pittori messinesi (1724) and through his relations with the world of the art collecting and the one of the art market and also through his activity as an expert and compiler of inventories. From the analysis of the text derives a focus on all those aspects that lead to recognize the author as a connoisseur: from the claim for artists of the role of writers of art things; to the importance attributed to the «master’s eye judgment» («giudizio d’occhio maestro») and to the «view» («veduta»); to the appearance of embryonic catalogs of the artists’ works; to the attention dedicated to the stylistic and formal aspects; to the definition of the ways and manners of the artists; to the identification of art schools; to the interest in techniques and materials; to the distinction between copies and originals; to the conception of a history of art built on the filiations between masters and pupils and on the comparisons between art works. Susinno’s commitment to the compilation of inventories and appraisals of art works played a significant role in all this, which shed new light on the close and undeniable link between historiography and collecting.