ABSTRACT
Recent scholarship has begun to stress the active role of women throughout early modern Europe in the "patronage, theory and practice of alchemy. Many of the medicinal recipes detailed in vernacular books of secrets rely on procedures and ingredients associated with alchemy. A valuable cultural artifact, the Experiment suggests that alchemy, in its many configurations, was a central and continuing pursuit for Caterina Sforza, one that occupied her attention even amidst her most pressing political battles and up until the end of her life. Sforza's personal correspondence corroborates that she actively sought out and circulated recipes such as those included in her Experimenti. The recipes collected by Sforza offer valuable insight into the role of scientific inquiry in the lives of early modern women and provide important information regarding the specific ingredients and processes used in treating illness or performing experiments. The resulting picture is one that integrates Sforza's political significance with her involvement with early modern scientific culture.
