MISCIATTELLI, PIERO. - Scholar and historian, b. in Florence on 14 Feb. 1882, he lived especially in Umbria, in Siena and in Rome, where he d. on 13 Feb. 1937.
He occupied himself with art history and medieval literature, in particular mystical literature, with editions of rare mystical texts, furnished with valuable introductory notes, and synthetic studies: Chiara d'Assisi (Rome 1905); Spiritualismo umbro (ibid. 1905); Idealità francescane (Siena 1907); Giovanni Colombini e il misticismo dei Gesuati (Rome 1911); Caterina Vannini (Milan 1913); Monte dell'orazione: preghiere antiche (Siena 1925); Savonarola (ibid. 1925); Mistici senesi (Florence 1932). He cooperated in the revival of Caterinian studies in Italy. From 1913 he edited the edition of the Lettere of St. Catherine of Siena on Tommaso's text, with philological notes; there followed: 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 Borromini's Oratory of St. Philip Neri for concerts of sacred music and historical-religious lectures. He was one of the most ardent promoters of the Casa di Dante. Besides lectures, speeches and articles in journals (he founded the journal Vita d'arte). M. left numerous essays of varied culture, 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).
Mario Gaspari