Graça e Sprezzatura em Baldassar Castiglione

The author begins by analysing the etymology of the word grâce and then moves on to analysing the theory of Castiglione, summarised by the phrase “chi ha grazia quello è grato”, which both demonstrates the active and passive sense of the word “grace”. The noble courtier must be gracious in order to receive the grace of his prince. Grace thus becomes an ornament and a strategy. Grace is born from a “very universal rule”: avoid affectation and demonstrate a certain indifference – sprezzatura. Sprezzatura, which connotes disprezzo, disdain, is the dissimulation of art and the simulation of nature. It is the product of a long “labour” that absolutely must be hidden. Grace can therefore be summed up in the oxymoron: art without art.