Abramo Colorni
Italian-Jewish polymath (1544-1599) · Architects · Died at 55
Abramo Colorni was an Italian-Jewish polymath and Renaissance man. An engineer, architect, mathematician, chiromancer, cryptographer, alchemist, inventor, magus (magician) and merchant, Colorni spent nine years as a Court Jew for Rudolf II. He is the author of the 1593 treatise on cryptography, Scotographia.
Abramo Colorni is read about 7 times a day, in 3 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 16 June 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 60 days, one point a day.
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Photos 6
![1593, Scotographia, published in Prague, collection of Biblioteca Teresiana[1]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Scotographia%2C_title_page_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Scotographia%2C_title_page_%28cropped%29.jpg)
1593, Scotographia, published in Prague, collection of Biblioteca Teresiana[1]![From an 18th-century copy of Clavicula Salomonis, the use of knives, swords, and wands[11]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Clavicula_Salomonis_swords_%28cropped%29.jpg/500px-Clavicula_Salomonis_swords_%28cropped%29.jpg)
From an 18th-century copy of Clavicula Salomonis, the use of knives, swords, and wands[11]
Šelomoh b. Avraham b. Šemuʼel, of Urbino, Ohel Mo‘ed, Venice 1548; title page. (Kaufmann B 33) Hebrew cursive purchase note, Abramo Colorni, in Prague in 1590, top.![Colorni's carriage with odometer, from Euthimetria, Herzog August Library [23]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Carriage_with_odometer%2C_Colorni%2C_Euthimetria.png/500px-Carriage_with_odometer%2C_Colorni%2C_Euthimetria.png)
Colorni's carriage with odometer, from Euthimetria, Herzog August Library [23]
table from Scotographia, 1593![Cipher wheel from Scotographia, spider in center trapping insect reading "RETI MEO CAPITVR," (in my net he is caught) "and he will be caught in my snare," a reference to Ezekiel 17:20,[28] Biblioteca Teresiana[1]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Cipher_wheel%2C_Scotographia%2C_2.jpg/1280px-Cipher_wheel%2C_Scotographia%2C_2.jpg)
Cipher wheel from Scotographia, spider in center trapping insect reading "RETI MEO CAPITVR," (in my net he is caught) "and he will be caught in my snare," a reference to Ezekiel 17:20,[28] Biblioteca Teresiana[1]About this person
As court alchemist, he was a major player in cultural transfer from Italy to Baden-Wurttemberg and Prague. He was born in, and died in, Mantua, Italy.
Category
Architects
Type
Architect
Status
Deceased
Dates
Lived 1544 to 1599 · aged 55
