Ut pictura manifestat: The Accademia dei Lincei and the reliability of images

This paper explores the theme of the credibility and prestige of images in the scientific and editorial practices of the early Lincei. It thus addresses the question of truth in the use of illustrations (both printed and otherwise) as a source of knowledge and as documentation of the scientific and philosophical discourse within the Cesian society. In this context, it proposes a novel comparison between the history of taste and art criticism in the first half of the 17th century—with particular reference to the concepts of naturalism and classicism—and the history of scientific thought. Crucial in this regard is the reference to the work of Giovanni Battista Agucchi.