Laurent Ferri

Laurent Ferri is a French academic, librarian, and Adjunct Professor at Cornell University. He currently serves as Curator of the pre-1800 Collections at the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections (RMC) and has been an Adjunct Faculty member since 2007. His career spans over two decades, including roles as "conservateur du patrimoine" at the French National Archives (2000-2005) and teaching positions at institutions like the École nationale d'administration (Morocco), École des chartes (Paris), and Cornell University. A former student of historian Michel Pastoureau, Ferri has authored four books and over thirty scholarly publications.

• Education: École nationale des chartes (1994-1998), École nationale du patrimoine (1999-2000), and studies at Universities of Lyon and Paris

Ferri's research spans multiple disciplines, including Art History, Iconology, History of Science and Education (with a focus on Jesuit pedagogy), International Relations, Diplomacy, War, and the history of libraries, archives, and museums. His work also emphasizes Islamicate Studies and Philology/Translation Studies, often bridging historical and cultural analysis. His edited books and articles frequently explore intersections between art, knowledge transmission, and political symbolism.

Recent publications highlight his expertise in areas such as early modern scientific texts (e.g., Pliny the Elder's reception), the history of mazarinades in youth literature, and the evolution of Dutch Golden Age print culture. His 2019 exhibition "Lafayette, Citizen of Two Worlds" and 2021 "Visions of Dante" project further demonstrate his curatorial and interdisciplinary approach.

• Scientific Awards: Chevalier des Arts et Lettres (2016), Prix Drouot des amateurs de livres d'art (2018), and inclusion in Who's Who in America (since 2010)

Ferri is a polyglot fluent in French, English, German, Italian, Romanian, Latin, ancient Greek, and basic Arabic/Mandarin Chinese. Beyond academia, he is an avid pianist and judoka, and co-owns a restored 1873 Victorian house in Ithaca, New York.