Petar Kanavelić
Encyclopedia
Petar Kanavelić (27 December 1637 – 16 January 1719) was a Croatia
n writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest Croatian writers of the 17th century. He signed himself as Pietro Canaveli or De Canavellis. He died in Korcula
in 1719.
, Republic of Venice
, now modern Croatia
), the last male descendant of an old, wealthy and distinguished noble family of the town. In Korcula he attended local schools. He undertook clerical studies. He also studied law in Padua
. This was a quiet common practice for the time for Dalmatia
n intellectuals. He worked in a series of town offices, mostly in legal matters, trade and the management of property. He was also was a teacher, lawyer and in 1665 became a member of the Great Council. In Zadar
(Zara), he was Chancellor of the Venetian Governor General of Dalmatia
, C. Cornaro and A. Priuli (1665–68). In 1673 he became the representative of the Curzola community in Venice
(Korcula was mosly referred to back then as Curzola ).
and Italian
. He occasionally composed wedding songs. The oldest preserved traces of Kanavelic's literary work was a written confirmation from 1660 for which he was paid 12 Lira
for performing the song on the occasion of the arrival of General A. Cornaro, in the town of Korcula. This is one of the oldest recorded fee payments in the history of Croatian literature. During his stay in Zadar, Kanavelic was in Split
(Spalato) in 1667 and participated in the Italian comedy La moglie di Quattro Care which was by Venetian
librettist Giacinto Andrea Cicognini
. He traveled throughout Dalmatia and the Republic of Ragusa
. There he gained a status within the Dubrovnik
(Ragusa) community who were mostly the leading writers and intellectuals of their time (Nikola Bunic, Baro Bettera, Sisko Gundulic, George Lucic). Later he became a member of the Akademije Ispraznijeh. His works have been translated in Italian, Hungarian
and Polish
.
There is a primary school named after him in the town of Korcula.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest Croatian writers of the 17th century. He signed himself as Pietro Canaveli or De Canavellis. He died in Korcula
Korcula (town)
Korčula is a historic fortified town on the protected east coast of the island of Korčula in the Adriatic. It is geographically located at 42°57′N, 17°07′E.-Population:...
in 1719.
Biography
Petar Kanavelic was born in KorčulaKorcula
Korčula is an island in the Adriatic Sea, in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. The island has an area of ; long and on average wide — and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 16,182 inhabitants make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk...
, Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, now modern Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
), the last male descendant of an old, wealthy and distinguished noble family of the town. In Korcula he attended local schools. He undertook clerical studies. He also studied law in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
. This was a quiet common practice for the time for Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n intellectuals. He worked in a series of town offices, mostly in legal matters, trade and the management of property. He was also was a teacher, lawyer and in 1665 became a member of the Great Council. In Zadar
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
(Zara), he was Chancellor of the Venetian Governor General of Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, C. Cornaro and A. Priuli (1665–68). In 1673 he became the representative of the Curzola community in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
(Korcula was mosly referred to back then as Curzola ).
Literary activity
Kanavelic's literary work is one of the widest and most diverse in the 17th century. He wrote poems, epic works and songs in CroatianCroatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
. He occasionally composed wedding songs. The oldest preserved traces of Kanavelic's literary work was a written confirmation from 1660 for which he was paid 12 Lira
Lira
Lira is the name of the monetary unit of a number of countries, as well as the former currency of Italy, Malta, San Marino and the Vatican City and Israel. The term originates from the value of a Troy pound of high purity silver. The libra was the basis of the monetary system of the Roman Empire...
for performing the song on the occasion of the arrival of General A. Cornaro, in the town of Korcula. This is one of the oldest recorded fee payments in the history of Croatian literature. During his stay in Zadar, Kanavelic was in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
(Spalato) in 1667 and participated in the Italian comedy La moglie di Quattro Care which was by Venetian
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
librettist Giacinto Andrea Cicognini
Giacinto Andrea Cicognini
Giacinto Andrea Cicognini was an Italian playwright and librettist, the son of poet and playwright Jacopo Cicognini.Cicognini was born in Florence. In 1627, he graduated from the University of Pisa, and he lived in Florence from 1640 to 1645 where he have legal advice to the poet and playwright...
. He traveled throughout Dalmatia and the Republic of Ragusa
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa or Republic of Dubrovnik was a maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia , that existed from 1358 to 1808...
. There he gained a status within the Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
(Ragusa) community who were mostly the leading writers and intellectuals of their time (Nikola Bunic, Baro Bettera, Sisko Gundulic, George Lucic). Later he became a member of the Akademije Ispraznijeh. His works have been translated in Italian, Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
and Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
.
There is a primary school named after him in the town of Korcula.