Nikola Vitkov Gučetić and His Cultural Circle

Abstract

In this article the author deals with the cultural circle surrounding a philosopher and polyhistorian of 16th century Dubrovnik by the name of Nikola Vitkov Gučetić (Latin: Nicolaus Viti Gozzius, Italian: Nicolò Vito di Gozze, Nicolo Vito di Gozzi). In his published works, most of which he wrote in his summer home in Trsteno, he brings into his dialogues certain renowned citizens of Dubrovnik, such as Maruša Gundulić, Cvijeta Zuzorić, Miho Monaldi and Dinko Ranjina. The literary source for our topic is primarily Gučetić’s published work. Apart from those individuals who can be more directly connected to Gučetić and Trsteno, his circle would probably also include Nika Zuzorić, Sabo Bobaljević Mišetić, Stjepan Nikola Bunić, Nikola Lujo Gučetić and Antun Medo. Gučetić probably knew them and befriended them, and so they may have influenced his philosophical work to an extent. Therefore, in this article the author also presents details about these citizens of Dubrovnik, though information on some of them is scant. It would be extremely superficial on the author’s part to exclude these individuals from Gučetić’s cultural and intellectual circle, for it is because of their influence that Gučetić has made a significant contribution to Renaissance philosophical thought in Croatia.