Bartolomeo Platina was an Italian Renaissance humanist and scholar. His full name was Bartolomeo Sacchi, but he is better known by his Latinized name, Platina. He was born in 1421 in Piadena and died in 1481 in Rome.
Platina is most famous for his work "De honesta voluptate et valetudine" (On Honest Pleasure and Good Health), an encyclopedia of culinary arts. It covers a wide range of topics including ingredients, recipes, cooking techniques, and the nutritional properties of various foods. This influential work was one of the first to systematically document recipes and explore the connections between food and health.
In addition to his culinary writings, Platina was also a prolific author on various other subjects. He wrote biographies of famous men, histories, and commentaries on classical works. His scholarship and knowledge of Latin made him highly respected in his time.
Platina's career flourished under the patronage of Pope Sixtus IV, who appointed him as the Vatican librarian. However, his association with the Pope's nephew, Girolamo Riario, led to his arrest and imprisonment on charges of conspiracy. Platina was eventually released and reinstated as the librarian, but this experience greatly affected his health, and he died shortly after.
Overall, Bartolomeo Platina was a renowned Renaissance humanist, best known for his culinary encyclopedia and his contributions to various other fields of knowledge.
