Luca Landucci (1436–1516) was an Italian apothecary from Florence, best known as the writer of a diary which later became an important primary source about the history of Florence.
The eldest of two sons of a prosperous citizen of Florence, Landucci was trained as a bookkeeper, and became the apprentice to an apothecary at the age of sixteen.[1] Six years later, he formed a partnership with a friend and opened a shop, but was forced to dissolve the partnership when the friend proved too spendthrift and exhausted all of their capital.[1] Landucci married a woman named Salvestra at the age of thirty, and used his wife's dowry to open a new shop.[1] The business prospered, and after fourteen more years he was able to move his shop[1] to a better spot across from the soon-to-be-constructed Strozzi Palace.[2] The Landuccis had twelve children together, and Luca remained at this location until his death in 1516.[1]
In 1450, Landucci began keeping the diary that would posthumously prove his claim to fame, diligently recording events of the day until his death.[1] The diary was continued after Luca's death by an unknown writer until 1542. The first English language translation, performed by Alice de Rosen Jervis, was published in 1927 as A Florentine diary from 1450 to 1516.[2] Landucci's original manuscript is preserved in the Biblioteca Comunale in Siena.[2]
A street in modern Florence, Via Luca Landucci, is named in his honor. It connects the Via Capo di Mondo and the Cavalcavia dell'Affrico.