Horace Mann wrote a letter from Florence on 13 March 1750 that they might expect a visit of a rhinoceros with Baron Van der Meer (source 5451). Mann mentioned a medal. Already in 1748 in Nuremberg a medal with Italian text was struck (source 5452). There is no evidence that the visit materialized.
Literature
- Clarke 1986: 60 – cites Walpole
- Heikamp 1980 – no evidence found
Source 5451. Letter from Florence, 13 March 1750
* Sir Horace Mann (1701–1786), British Minister in Florence
* Horace Walpole (1717–1797), British politician and author
Letter from Horace Mann to Horace Walpole, dated Florence, 13 March 1750
Mann, H.; Walpole, H. 1750. Letters. In: Doran, J. Mann and manners at the court of Florence 1740-1786. Founded on the letters of Horace Mann to Horace Walpole. London, Richard Bentley and Son
Original text
Letter from Mann to Walpole, Florence, 13 March 1750:
[p. 302] We have been entertained with a most shabby Tripoline Ambassador whom people’s curiosity led to see as much as it will the Rhinoceros which we expect from Rome, where it is gone to the Jubilee. This animal is to be recommended to me with its master, Vander Meer , whom the Emperor has made a Baron for the merit of the beast . You must not be surprised that a Baron de l’Empire should follow this trade, when we are told that Augustus himself did not disdain to be a Rhinocerontajo, by shewing one publickly to the Romans; and this I believe is the only one that has been in Italy since that time though I have never heard that a medal of it was struck as has now been done in honour of this.
[p. 303] May 8 [1750]. Madame Don Philip has brought the mode into Italy of dressing her head à la Rhinoceros, which all our ladies here follow.
Source 5452. Medal sold in Italy
Will, G.A. 1764. Dreylerley Medaillen auf das Nashorn, welches 1748 in Nurnberg gewesen ist. Nuernbergischen Muenz Belustigungen Stuck 36, 8 September 1764: 281–288, fig. 1.
Refer Neurenberg Source 4357
Original text (GERMAN)
1. Beschreibung derselben.
Die zweyte hat in der Haubtsache den nemlichen Avers, nur daß das Thier zur rechten schaut. Der hier ausgelassene Revers hat folgende italianische Aufschrift in 17 Zeilen:
QUESTO RINOCEROTO FV TRASPORTATO D’ ASIA IN EVROPA NELL ANNO 1741. DAL CAPITANO DAVIDE MOVT VAN DER MEER IL MEDEMO ANIMALE E STATO PESATO A STVTGARDO NEL WIRTEMBERO LI 6. ΜAGGIO. 1748. Ε PESAVA ALL ORA CINQUE MILA LIBRE. MANGIA OGNI GIORND [soll GIORNI heisen] SESSANTA LIBRE DI FIENO, VINTI LIBRE DI PANE, E BEVE QVATORDICI SECCHIE DE AQVA.
Translation
This rhinoceros was transported from asia to europe in the year 1741. the same animal was weighed at Stvtgardo in Wirtember on 6 May 1748. and at the time it weighed five thousand pounds. it eats every day sixty pounds of hay, twenty pounds of bread, and drinks fourteen buckets of water.
