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Maylender (1926-1930), v.3, p.367 indicates
that the
opinions of scholars on the founding date of the
Accademia degli Investiganti were (in the 1920s when Maylender
wrote this) varied and
included dates of 1650, 1655, 1663 and 1669.
Maylender gives greatest credence to the founding date of 1650 put forward
by Camillo Minieri-Riccio.
A date of 1663 is supported on p.526 of Fisch
(1953).
According to Maylender (1926-1930), v.3,
p.367, after the
disbanding of the Roman
Accademia dei Lincei in 1630, the centre
of scientific study passed from Rome to Napoli and Florence, where two
illustrious scientific societies carried on the tradition of the
Lincei:
the Accademia degli Investiganti (founded 1650 in Napoli) and the
Accademia del Cimento (founded in 1657
in Florence).
Fisch (pp.521-526) indicates that the
Accademia degli Investiganti arose in Naples out of the dispute
between the"ancients" (those guided by the writing of the
ancients) and the "moderns." (those favouring the new
experimental method, or "new science").
Fisch (pp.526-537) discusses the formal
organization of the Neapolitan moderns
as the Accademia degli Investiganti in 1663, and its
subsequent rivalry with an academy named the
Discordanti (founded 1666), and the closing of the
Accademia degli Investiganti in 1669 or (more likely) 1670.
It is not clear whether the Investiganti were formally
suppressed or not.
Fisch (p.537) believes that, in any case, the
creative energies of the Investiganti were spent by then.
From 1670 to 1683 there were informal private gatherings of individual
members of the Investiganti
(Fisch, pp.537-541).
Fisch (pp.541-546) points out that there was an
increase in activity of individual members of the
Investiganti between 1683 and 1697, although there is no
evidence of a formal revival of the Accademia.
Finally, the Accademia degli Investiganti was revived
briefly from 1735 to 1737 (Fisch (pp.549-550).
There is no indication that Accademia degli Investiganti
ever published a journal.
Finally, it should be noted that although
Maylender (1926-1930), v.3, p.367
gives the name of the Academy as the
Accademia degli Investiganti, the name appears as
Accademia degl' Investiganti on a 1735 title-page reproduced as
Fig.6 of Plate L (falling between pp.550 and 551) of
Fisch.
In addition, in footnote 32 (p.526) of the Fisch article, the Academy is
referred to in 1670 by a Latin name, Academia Indagatrix.
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