Ferrante de Gemmis (April 14, 1732 – April 21, 1803) was an Italian philosopher and literary man.
Biography
Ferrante de Gemmis was born in
Terlizzi
Terlizzi ( Barese: ) is a town and ''comune'' of the region of Apulia in southern Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Bari, lying to the west of the seaport of Bari on the Adriatic Sea, in the midst of a fertile plain. , its population was some 27, ...
, near
Bari
Bari ( , ; nap, label= Barese, Bare ; lat, Barium) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy a ...
. His parents were the Baron Tommaso de Gemmis and Francesca Bruni. He was educated in
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
where he graduated in law. He inherited the properties of his uncle Minister Ferrante Maddalena. De Gemmis was a friend of the philosopher and political economist
Antonio Genovesi
Antonio Genovesi (1 November 171322 September 1769) was an Italian writer on philosophy and political economy.
Biography
Son of Salvatore Genovese, a shoemaker, and Adriana Alfinito of San Mango, Antonio Genovesi was born in Castiglione, near ...
. He founded an Academy in
Terlizzi
Terlizzi ( Barese: ) is a town and ''comune'' of the region of Apulia in southern Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Bari, lying to the west of the seaport of Bari on the Adriatic Sea, in the midst of a fertile plain. , its population was some 27, ...
becoming the primary exponent of Illuminism in the region of Apulia. He refused to become a judge so he could continue writing about philosophy even though he wrote in anonymity for modesty.
His portrait is in the Dictionary of the notable people of the Reign of Naples.
Death
He died in
Terlizzi
Terlizzi ( Barese: ) is a town and ''comune'' of the region of Apulia in southern Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Bari, lying to the west of the seaport of Bari on the Adriatic Sea, in the midst of a fertile plain. , its population was some 27, ...
on April 21, 1803.
References
* Gaetano Valente ''Feudalesimo e feudatari Terlizzi nel Settecento'', Mezzina, 2004. Molfetta ;
* ''Cabreo de Gemmis'', Biblioteca Provinciale "de Gemmis", Bari.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gemmis, Ferrante de
1732 births
1803 deaths
People from Terlizzi
Italian philosophers