Born in Rome, 1751; died in Paris, 1818.
He was an extraordinarily precocious child, and at the age of
thirteen had translated “Hecuba” of Euripides and the “Olympics” of
Pindar. He obtained the degree of doctor of law and literature in
1771 (aged twenty), and was then appointed camararis to the Pope and
sub-librarian to the Vatican. He steadily refused to take holy orders,
notwithstanding personal pressure from the Pope. When he married in
1785, he was dismissed from the Vatican, although he had compiled the
whole of the catalogues of the Museo Clementius. Prince Chigi then
took him into his service as librarian. During the next ten years he
arranged and classified the collections the two Englishmen, Jenkins and
Wortley, had made from excavations at Athens and other parts of Greece.
He also organised the Borghese Museum.
When the French entered Rome in January 1798, Visconti was appointed by
General Berthier Minister of the Interior, and, later, one of the five
Consuls who were to govern the Roman Republic; he had only occupied
this post seven months, when the intrigues of his enemies compelled his
flight to Perugia, his honesty and moderation having excited the hatred
of his four fellow Consuls.
The Neapolitans retook Rome in 1799, and Visconti, separated from
his wife and family, was exiled, and departed for France. Here he was
immediately employed in organising and arranging the Museum of the
Louvre, then just founded. He was appointed Professor of Archæology
and Member of the Institute. In 1801 appeared his celebrated _Livret
du Musée_. He also made a complete catalogue containing elaborate
descriptions of the works of art in the Louvre. By Napoleon’s orders
he commenced the _des dessins antiques_, which was to contain
illustrations drawn and engraved by him, comprising portraits of all
the illustrious heroes of antiquity. The Academies of Europe vied with
one another in asking his advice and judgment upon matters of art. In
1814 he was summoned to London to give his opinion upon the merits or
possible demerits of the Elgin marbles, the English Government not
being willing to give Lord Elgin the price demanded. Visconti valued
them at 800,000 francs (£32,000) and decided that they were all the
work of Phidias and his pupils. This sum was paid.
Soon after his return to Paris he was attacked by a painful internal
malady, and died, aged sixty-six.