The historian of Salamanca Pedro Chacon and his engraved portrait from Stroganovs library collection

In the article the figure of the outstanding Spanish intellectual of the XVI century, the graduate of the Salamanca University, the author of the first work on its history is considered. The author sets the following tasks: 1) to give the main characteristic of a series of portraits of outstanding Spaniards and to describe Pedro Chacon's portrait; 2) to describe highlights of a vital and professional way of the Spanish humanist; 3) to analyze orientation of his scientific works. 3) to consider features and value of his manuscript History of the Salamanca university and also Chacon's relation to the edition of his research works. In the work the author used de visu method for studying and the description of a portrait of the scientist; a bibliographic method for studying of scientific literature on the subject; a comparative-historical method for comparison and the analysis of historical data. As a result of the conducted research the following conclusions have been received. P. Chacon has been chosen as the portrayed person for a series of outstanding Spaniards on the basis of his high achievements in the field of the classic languages and numerous works written by him. The main vital and career stages of P. Chacon were connected at the beginning with a stage of his study at the Salamanca University and his work on the book on history of Salamanca. After departure to Rome the second vital and career stage of Chacon has been connected with hard scientific work, communication with friends and writing of scientific works. The subject of his scientific works covers such areas as classical philology, Latin, comments to works of the Roman, Greek and medieval authors and also the book on history of the Salamanca University. This work is characterized by the wide sources base presented by papal bulls and decrees, royal decrees and orders. The work has well-built structure, is written in the good literary language. Owing to the fact that this book had been intended for improvement of image and increase in prestige of the university it was not deprived of the aspiration to embellish reality and to use a positive message for with its help to achieve certain financial subsidies for the university. The Chacon manuscript on history of Salamanca University had been published only after the death of the scientist who was characterized by indifference to editing of his works and preparation them for the publication.

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