MISCIATTELLI, PIERO. – Scholar and historian, born in Florence on 14 Feb. 1882, he lived especially in Umbria, Siena, and Rome, where he died on 13 Feb. 1937.
He devoted himself to the history of art and to medieval literature, particularly mystical literature, producing editions of rare mystical texts accompanied by valuable introductory notes, as well as synthetic studies: Chiara d’Assisi (Rome 1905); Spiritualismo umbro (ibid. 1905); Idealità francescane (Siena 1907); Giovanni Colombini e il misticismo dei Gesuiti (Rome 1911); Caterina Vannini (Milan 1913); Monte dell’orazione: preghiere antiche (Siena 1925); Savonarola (ibid. 1925); Mistici senesi (Florence 1932). He contributed to the reform of the study of the Carthusians in Italy. From 1913 he curated the edition of the Lettere di S. Caterina da Siena based on Tommaseo’s text, with philological notes; these were followed by: Lo spirito, il cuore, la parola di S. Caterina da Siena (ibid. 1922); S. Caterina da Siena e il primo focolare del misticismo senese (ibid. 1928); Come parlava S. Caterina da Siena (Rome 1934).
In Rome, M. worked to reopen the Oratory of S. Filippo Neri by Borromini for sacred music concerts and historical-religious lectures. He was one of the most ardent promoters of the Casa di Dante. In addition to lectures, speeches, and articles in journals (he founded the journal Vita d’arte), M. left numerous essays on various cultural topics, among which it is worth recalling: Personaggi del Quattrocento italiano (Rome 1914); Pagine dantesche (Siena 1921); Dante poeta d’amore (Rome 1921); La libreria Piccolomini del duomo di Siena (ibid. 1922); Storie e pensieri di anacoreti (ibid. 1923); Fascisti e cattolici (Milan 1924); Studi senesi (Siena 1931); Lettere di Letizia Buonaparte (Milan 1936).