Polymaths and Scholars

Menéndez Pelayo retratado por SorollaThe Foundation aims, based on an idea from Menéndez Pelayo, who was creator of the term polygraph in the sense that is used here, to make accessible the thought of Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian and Hispanic American polygraphs by digitally putting together their work. The project is carried out through collaboration with other institutions in some of its parts.

Concept of polymath

The word polymath in this context refers to the multifaceted creator whose work marked a turning point in their field.

If you want to search for a work of this Virtual Library use the link "Works" from the main menu of the polymath Virtual Library, to which this microsite belongs.

f you want to search for a polygraph click on "Search" or on "Polymaths", where you will find the list of all polymaths sorted alphabetically, both on the menu at the top of this page.

The Scholars (poligrafistas)

We call an scholar (poligrafista) those specific research specialists in one or other of the polymaths that make up this virtual library and that write a study of their life and work. The Ignacio Larrramendi Foundation commissions many of these studies.

If you want to find a study of one of our academics go to the link "Works" from the main menu of the Polymath Virtual Library, to which this microsite belongs, do not forget to mark the option "Studies on polymaths commissioned by the FIL" on the left to only look in those studies.

f you want to search for an sholar click on "Search" or go to "Academics", both in the menu of this same page.

The beginning

The Polymath Virtual Library is a project that was designed and launched by Ignacio Hernando de Larramendi in the 1990’s, with the intention of exploiting the potential offered by emerging new technologies to preserve and disseminate knowledge.

Ignacio Larramendi focused this Virtual Library in four collections that received the name of one of the most important polymaths of each of them: Marcelino Menéndez Pelayo, for the collection of Spanish polymaths, José de Anchieta, for the Brazilians, Francisco Manuel de Melo, for the Portuguese, and Andres Bello, for Hispanic Americans. In memory of those early days the four polymaths are listed, in that order, in the header of this microsite.

Recognition of the Polymath Virtual Library by Europeana and the W3C

The Polymath Virtual Library of the Ignacio Larramendi Foundation, so called, in English, by the W3C, has been selected by the cluster of Bibliographic Data of this entity as a Case Study.

This Polymath Virtual Library has also been chosen by Europeana for an EDM Case Study.