Luigi Chiarini (abbot)

Luigi Chiarini was an Italian abbot, orientalist and translator, born near Montepulciano (Italy), April 26, 1789, died February 28, 1832, in Warsaw (Poland), known for the first translation of the Talmud (Talmud of Babylon and Talmud of Jerusalem) in French. His translation of the Talmud benefited from a grant from Tsar Nicholas I (Emperor of Russia). Luigi Chiarini was born at Valiano in the province of Montepulciano in the region of Tuscany, on 26 April 1789 to a Catholic family. His father Antonio was a carpenter, and his mother Stella was a smith's daughter. Luigi was educated at the Bishops' Seminary at Montepulciano. He specialised in philosophy and theology as well as in belles-lettres. He also mastered several languages, including French and Hebrew. Then he was sent to Pisa, where he studied the languages of the Near East, theology and belles-lettres for five years. He obtained his doctorate from the University of Pisa on 19 August 1811. He became assistant to the Reverend Sebastiano Ciampi, professor of Latin and Greek, at the Normal College in Pisa. At that time, Luigi Chiarini published his own poems and his translations from Hebrew, Greek and Latin, which he recited at the Pisa Literary Society. In recognition of his scientific achievements he was appointed member of the Italian Academy on 30 May 1818. Because of the turmoil of the revolution he left Pisa and went back to his native town, where he became chancellor of the Royal High School and professor of Italian and Latin. Soon, however, he left for Warsaw, where he was invited by Sebastiano Ciampi, who was already professor of the University of Warsaw at that time. In 1826 he was appointed professor of Oriental Languages and Antiquities at the Royal University of Warsaw with Stanisław Kostka Potocki's backing. He offered lectures on the Introduction to the Old Testament, archaeology, Hebrew language and ancient Hebrew materials. Among Chiarini's disciples mention should be made of the famed orientalist Albert Kazimirski de Biberstein.