I should probably start by explaining what the title of this blog symbolizes. Sprezzatura is Italian for DHV. What exactly does it mean, and what implications does it allude to? Firstly, there was a Renaissance author by the name of Baldassare Castiglione who lived during the 15th century. He spent a great deal of time as a noble in the court of Duke Guidobaldo Montefeltro of Urbino, which became the basis of his most famous written piece: The Book of the Courtier. This piece goes into great detail about the philosophical and cultured discussions that occurred at Urbino, and from which casted a paradigm for the ideal Renaissance gentleman. Now, if I can lend some knowledge from Wikipedia, which I have reasonable assurance of its validity:
Sprezzatura, is a term that originates from Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier. It is defined as “a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it”. That is to say, it is the ability of the courtier to display “an easy facility in accomplishing difficult actions which hides the conscious effort that went into them”. Sprezzatura has also been described “as a form of defensive irony: the ability to disguise what one really desires, feels, thinks, and means or intends behind a mask of apparent reticence and nonchalance”.
Well then, I guess that was a long-winded way to say that one of the goals in life will be to achieve greatness, but not just simply that, but to do it in a way where it seems easily done at my whim no matter how painstaking it is in reality to achieve. So if ever one saw me and told themself they can do it too, then I've done my job, because that's exactly what I want.